k l . í
from damp to di-y, are particiüarly inimical to luxiuiaut vegetation, and no foliage but perhaps
the coriaceous growth of Austraha could endm-e them. The characteristics both of
Fuegia and Patagonia may be seen mingled in the Falklands, and except Veronica elliptica
(Part I. p. 58), wldch is chiefly confined to the western coasts of the western island, the plants
of both these countries appear together, overspreading the whole sm-face of the islands. Few
species are peculiar, and no genus or order predominates to any remarkable extent, unless it
be the Graminece : the species themselves are well marked and do not run much into varieties.
Though the want of shade is unfavourable to the fruiting of Mosses and Hepático!, there are
a considerable nmnber of species of those orders, and some are identical with those of the
American mountains and of Europe.
BougaimiUe was the fii-st voyager and man of science who noticed the vegetable productions
of the Falklands, the most remarkable of which are certainly the Tiissac Grass and the
Balsam-bog (Bolaoe glebaria). The first collection of importance was formed by M. Gaudi-
chaiid, under the following veiy peciüiar ch'ciunstances.
hi. Gaudichaud accompanied Admiral Louis de Freycinet, who sailed from France in
the year 1817, in command of an expedition, composed of two corvettes, the ‘ Uranie’ and
‘ Physicienne.’ The objects of the voyage were enth-ely scientific, and the chief places visited
were New Holland and the East Indian Islands to the north of that country, the South Sea
Islands, Tierra del Fuego, aud the Falklands. The magnetical observations, chiefly by Admiral
Freycinet himself, were amongst the most valuable ever made in the Southern Flemisphere, pre-
Uoiis to the voyage of the ‘ Erebus ’ aud ‘ Terror,’ and many other residts of the e.xpedition
were of equal importance. After having nearly circumnavigated the globe, the navigators
doubled Cape Florn in 1820, and regaining the Atlantic Ocean, naturally expected that the
dangers incident to such a voyage were over. On preparing to enter Berkeley Sound, however,
the ‘ Uranie ’ struck upon a liidden rock close to the shore, but on the lee-side of the island. If
the usual wind and weather had prevaüed on that occasion, the frigate must have been blown
out to sea and probably aU hands lost ; the violence of the gales and boisterous ocean incident
to that latitude often rendering the boats unavailable when most required. Providentially
the elements allowed Admiral Freycinet’s skül to be effectual in saving his ship, which he ran
ashore iu Berkeley Sound. Amongst the losses occasioned by this calamity was tliat of the
greater part of the collections of the entire voyage, made by the indefatigable Gaudichaud ;
1500 species alone escaping destruction. The probable value of the rest we may estimate
from the excellent botanical notices of the various islands visited, which show the materials
to have been very considerable, or such knowledge could not have been displayed.
Especially we must applaud the persevering zeal with which this naturalist commenced forming
a collection which constituted the foundation upon which all other floras of the Falklands
have been raised.
The results of M. Gaudichaiid’s labours were first published in the “ Annales des Sciences
Naturelles,” and afterwards in the botanical portion of Admiral Freycinet’s voyage. The
215
late Admiral D ’Urville visited these islands dming Admiral Duperrey’s voyage in the French
corvette ‘ la Coquille,’ and added some additional species to those of Gaudichaud, and these
wore described in the “ Annales dc la Société Linnèenne de Paris.” More recently Mr. Darwin
formed a small collection of Falkland Island plants, as did Mr. Mriight, a mercantüe gentleman.
and Captain Sulivan, now commanding H. M. S. ‘ Philomel,’ who had previously risited
this group diu-ing Captain Fitzroy’s voyage*. The ‘ Erebus ’ and ‘ Terror ’ remained in Berkeley
Sound for the five winter months of 1842 ; during which year almost aU the previously
known species were gathered, with numerous others, especially Cryptogamia, by myself and
Dr. Lyall, whose beantifid collection of the interesting Algce of this group of itself forms an
important addition to Antarctic Botany.
Considering the cUstance of the Falkland Islands from the continent, their size, the extent
of surface covered with vegetation, and above all, their geological formation and the nature
of their climate, the munbcr of pecidiar species is very insignificant ; such circumstances generally
accompanying or being indicative of a concomitant change in botanical features, specific
difierenoe itself being by some attributed wholly to the operation of these causes, and the
immutability of .species thence called in question. The Falkland Islands appear ill adapted
to the more striking vegetation of Fuegia or of Patagonia, if we may judge from the absence
of trees and oven of such bushes as Berberis, Escattonia, Fuchsia, Ribes, &c., which grow in
the former country and to all of which the changeable nature of the climate is injiuious ;
whUe, on the other hand, the mean temperatiue is too low for the Leguminosce, Matvaceo, and
other predominant Orders of Patagonia. It is more remarkable that some of the plants of
each are seen, composing together the whole vegetation, yet appearing unchanged by a climate
that is certainly unfavovuable to the general flora of those distant regions where these very
species most abound. To conclude by an example, SisgrincUum and Oaalis enneaphgtla will
not associate themselves with the Tussac and Empetrum in Cape Horn, nor are Astelia and
CaUlta appendiculata to be found in company with Nassauvia and Ccdceolaria Fothergillii on
the coast of Patagonia, thougli all these may be seen groiring side by side in the Falklands iu
the greatest profusion.
Iimnediately to the south of Cape Horn are gi-oups of islands, and possibly a larger body of
land. Vegetation in the Southern Hemisphere reaches the northern shores of these inhospitable
spots, where, at a distance of no less than thirty-six degrees from the actual Pole and three
degrees to the northward of the Antarctic circle, the flora of the south finds its extreme limit.
The South Slietlands have been visited by au American gentleman of scientific acqmre-
mcnts, Dr. Eights, who detected a small species of Grass, the Aira antárctica. Hook., (Icon.
Plant, vol. ii. t. 150), the most Antarctic floivering plant hitherto discovered. One of the
group. Deception Island, was explored by Captain Foster in H. M. S. ‘ Chanticleer,’ and we
* 'VVhEst tliis sheet is passing tlirongli the press I liave received a collection from the Falkland Islands, con-
laining some highly interesting plants, from W. Chartres, Esq., Surgeon of II. M. S. ' Philomel ’.