Contributions to the morphology, synonymy, and geographical distribution of arctic plants / by Theo. Holm.

  • Holm, Theodor (Herman Theodor), 1854-1932.
Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Contributions to the morphology, synonymy, and geographical distribution of arctic plants / by Theo. Holm. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Contributions to the Morphology, Synonymy, and Geo¬ graphical Distribution of Arctic Plants. By Theo. Holm^ Clinto7i, Maryland, U.S.A. A lih six photographs and eighteen figures in the text drawn by the author. The present contribution is divided into four chapters: I, containing notes on morphological characteristics and synonomy; II, giving the geographical distribution; III, concluding remarks, and IV, the bibliography relative to the distribution. The fact that the collection made by the expedition contains many interest¬ ing species, together with the fact that they have been collected and prepared with great skill and care, has enabled me to examine their various organs, principally the vegetative ones, and lam therefore able to offer some descriptions of ramification, reproduction, hibernation, etc., of which several points are but little known from arctic plants. Having had the opportunity myself to see the arctic flora, (Nova Zembla and Greenland), and moreover to compare this with the alpine flora (Rock}^ mountains, Colorado), I naturally feel induced to treat both as far as the scope of the subject will permit. Therefore, in the chapter dealing with the distribu¬ tion, _ I have inserted several columns for alpine plants, although the arctic distribution has been given the most extensively, because, in respect to geograph¬ ical distribution, the arctic and alpine floras are so intimately connected with each other that a discussion of either one alone would give very little information about their history. Considering together the interesting chapters on geographical distribution in Darwin’s 'Drigin of Species” and Nathorst’s ^Tolarforskningens Bidrag till Forntidps Vaxtgeografi,” we have a most valuable foundation for further studies in this line, and quite especially with reference to the arctic flora. CHAPTER I. MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SYN¬ ONYMY. GRAMINEAE. The species collected belong to the following tribes: Phalarideae, Agros- tideae, Aveneae, Festuceae, and Hordeae; of these the Festuceae are the best represented. They all are perennial and, concerning the habit, the stoloniferous type is somewhat more frequent than the caespitose one; widely creeping stolons above ground are characteristic of Glyceria viljoidea; subterranean ones of Poa arctica, Arctagrostis, Dupontia, Festuca rubra var., Elymus, Arctophila, and Alopecurus] in the last, three genera the stolons attain quite a considerable length and ramify freely. The culms are always simple and usually short, especially so in Glyceria tenella and G. vilfoidea, while in Elymus, Arctophila, Arctagrostis, and Dupontia, the height of the culm may reach forty cm. or even a little more. The inflorescence is most often an open, lax-flowered panicle, notably so in Arctophila, Dupontia, and Poa arctica; a contracted, spike-like inflorescence occurs in Trisetum, Alopecurus, and Calamagrostis; a spicate one in Elymus, Agropyrum, and Hordeum. The flowering glume ^ is more or less hairy iThe old, well known term “flowering glume’’ has recently become substituted by “lemma” proposed by Professoi G. v. Piper (Science, N.S. vol. XXIII, 1906), and is introduced in various nianuals. Not speaking of the fact that “lemma’’ has been in use for several years before as an anatomical term, proposed by otrasbuiger, it &eems unwise to change the old term flowering glume.” since this glume (gluma florens) as well as the empty glumes (glumae vacuae) are bracts of the same order, borne on the same rhachis, svhereas the palea borne upon a rhacheola, developed from the axil of the flowering glume. More¬ over, in speaking of lemma in plurals, it is absolutely incorrect, from a linguistic point of view to write “lemmas” instead of “lemmata.” ’ 3 24657—li