FLORA OF THE ANDES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22551, 5 November 1938, Page 3

FLORA OF THE ANDES

SIMILARITY IN DOMINION COMMON ORIGIN IN THE ANTARCTIC There is much to interest New Zealanders in the botany of the Cordilleras of Chile, which was described to members of the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society last evening by Professor Carl Skottsberg, Professor of Botany in the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and an acknowledged expert on this region. There is an affinity between many botanical species found in Chile and New Zealand, as well as those in Chile, Australia, and some of the subAntarctic islands. All these similarities have been traced back to a common origin. Professor Skottsberg explained, generally claimed to have been in the Antarctic continent itself. Using many fine slides, Professor Skottsberg explained the types, of vegetation and forests found along the two cordilleras—the coast cordilleras and the main central cordilleras 'Of the Andes. In 'the far north of Chile he explored -the ; vast arid regions., where rain never falls and the only, precipitation of moisture is from dews. Further south is country with ah absorbingly interesting flora, with giant, columnar cacti predominating, leaving everywhere its stamp on the landscape. s Professor Skottsberg's explorations advanced down into the northernmost rain forest of Chile, which he claimed to be a relic of the old post-glacial forests of the region. About the latitude of 37 degrees, the forests become definitely close, the

lofty trees * including southern beeches, and other flora showing more southern influences.. Some of those types, he said, were seen in New Zealand. At 40 degrees the real, southern rain forests were reached. Professor Skottsberg gave details of many types showing marked similarity with New Zealand forest types. Ferns Common As in the mountain forests of New Zealand, so in Chile ferns were of considerable importance. Further south. Professor Skottsberg visited the great glatial i system which extends into the fjords round about the region of the Magellanes. There, he said, it was. not uncommon, to find thick forest vegetation, stunted but nevertheless well developed, growing on moraines on the tops of glaciers that had ceased advancing. It was possible to cut down through the few feet of the forest bed and soil into the clear, blue ice of the glacier. The One Source For many years botanists had occupied themselves with speculations on the likeness of the flora of Chile, New Zealand, Australia. Tasmania, and sub-Antarctic -islands. After what was now known, it was 'evident, Dr. Skottsberg said, that there was only one explanation. It was evident that a good deal of the flora of all those countries must have had the one source, and . it had been concluded that the old home of that.flora must I be looked for about the Antarctic itself. Botanists had argued that since it had been definitely established, for instance, that Greenland had once been carpeted with forests and' permanent vegetation instead of ice, why could it not be concluded, that, the Antarctic once experienced the same state, and* was once the home of a rich and varied flora. "All that was needed for final proof was the discovery that the flora looked for had once lived in the Antarctic. It was the good "fortune- of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition; at the beginning of this century, to discover the first pure fogsil deposits there. In iheea deposit* k

types included in the forests I have been dealing with. Since then other fossils have been found there, proving that similar types found in the forests of New Zealand, Australia, and South America must h&ve had a common origin down in those Antarctic regions."