SOME LICHENS AND BRYOPHYTES FROM THE LAKE HAZENAREA, ELLESMERE ISLAND, N.W.T., CANADA

JOHN M. POWELL

Reprinted from THE BRYOLOGIST, Vol. 70, No. 2, Summer, 1967

Some Lichens and Bryophytes from the Lake Hazen Area,

Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., Canada'

JOHN M. POWELL2

Abstract. The first report is made for 38 taxa of lichens and 46 of bryophytesfrom the interior of northern Ellesmere Island. Protoblastenia terricola is citedas new to Canada, and Acarospora molybdina, Cladonia coccifera, Hypogymniaausterodes, Rinodina nimbosa, Squamarina lentigera, Peltolepis quadrata, An-dreaea rupestris, and Splachnum ovatum as new to Ellesmere Island. An addi-tional 14 species are reported as northern range extensions for Ellesmere Island.

Studies were carried out in the vicinity of Lake Hazen, northern Ellesmere Island,Northwest Territories, as part of the scientific program, "Operation Hazen," organizedby the Defence Research Board of Canada during the International Geophysical Year.As a member of the expedition from August, 1957, to August, 1958, based at HazenCamp (81°49'N, 71°18'W), I studied the effect of climate on the vegetation, andmade an extensive collection of vascular plants (Powell, 1961) and some cryptogams.I was able to return to the area to continue the botanical studies from May to Augustof 1959. At that time the camp was set up near the snout of the Gilman Glacier(82°03'N, 70°22'W), and the majority of the lichens and bryophytes reported inthis paper were collected within a few miles of this point.

The interior of northern Ellesmere Island is dominated by Lake Hazen which liesin a trough between the Garfield and United States Ranges to the west and north, andthe Greely-Hazen Plateau to the south and east. The lake, which in some years be-comes completely free of ice, is 46 miles long and 520 feet above sea level. The nearbypeaks of the Garfield Range rise to heights between 3,500 and 4,700 feet, and areseparated by valleys through which flow the major rivers fed by the ice fields andglaciers. The Gilman Glacier is one of the largest glaciers draining into Lake Hazen.The area constitutes an arctic desert, receiving only about two inches of precipitationa year. Summer weather conditions, however, are relatively favorable for vegetation,with a frost-free period of eight to ten weeks, and peak temperatures reaching 60°F.Summer conditions at Lake Hazen can be considered continental, with less precipita-tion, and temperatures about five degrees higher than at coastal stations of the samelatitude.

There have been no reports of the lichen and bryophyte flora from the interior of

1 The field work was supported by the Defence Research Board of Canada, the sponsors of"Operation Hazen," who provided transportation, equipment, and facilities. Special acknowl-edgment is extended to Dr. G. Hattersley-Smith, leader of the Expedition, and to R. B. Sagar,my companion in 1959. This work was also partially supported in 1959, by a grant from theSir Frederick Banting Fund, Arctic Institute of North America. I am indebted to the followingpersons for identification of material: H. A. Crum for the mosses, a few lichens, and twoliverworts; J. W. Thomson for most of the lichens and their distribution data; I. M. Lamb forthe genus Stereocatilon; and R. M. Schuster for the 1958 liverworts.

2 Present address: Forest Research Laboratory, Department of Forestry and Rural Devel-opment, Calgary, Alberta.

1967] POWELL: CRYPTOCAMS FROM ELLESMERE ISLAND 247

northern Ellesmere Island. Many early explorers made small collections of plants butthese were all from areas within a few miles of the coast. Lynge (1947), Polunin(1947) and Steere (1947) summarized many of these collections. Since 1953 a num-ber of collectors have made small collections from northern coastal areas, which aremainly deposited at the National Museum of Canada. In 1955 Schuster made extensivecollections of lichens and bryophytes in the vicinity of Alert (Schuster, Steere &Thomson, 1959), greatly adding to the known cryptogam flora of northern EllesmereIsland.

The following list of lichens and bryophytes probably represents only a small per-centage of the total from the vicinity of Lake Hazen, as no systematic collection ofcryptogams was carried out. The collections contain one lichen new to Canada, fiveother lichens, one liverwort and two mosses new to Ellesmere Island, and northernextensions of the known range of four lichens, one liverwort, and nine mosses onEllesmere Island. The addition of these species to the reported cryptogam flora ofnorthern Ellesmere Island north of 81°30'N brings the total of known species to 147lichens, 47 liverworts, and 141 mosses. Unless otherwise indicated, all collections arethose of the author and are deposited in Ottawa (cAN).

LICHENS

Acarospora molybdina ( Ach.) Trey. Rock boulder near snout of Gilman Glacier; 41a. Newto Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Arctic Bay (73°05'N ), Baffin Island, andGreenland

Alectoria minusculu Nyl. Scree slopes, head of Mesa Creek valley; 29.Alectoria ochroleuca (Hoffm.) Mass. Common. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman

Glacier; 15. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier; Hattersley-Smith 97 (CAN).Buellia epigaea (Hoffm.) Tuck. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 5.Buellia papillata ( Somm.) Tuck. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 14.Candelariella dispersa (Riis.) Hak. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 6.Cetraria cucullata (Bell.) Ach. Head of Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; 37.Cetraria nivalis (L.) Ach. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 10.Cladonia coccifera ( L.) Willd. Mesa Creek valley, 2,700 ft.; 25a. Clay boulder area near

snout of Gilman Glacier; Lb. New to Ellesmere Island, although a common circumpolarlichen. Known in the Canadian Eastern Arctic from Dundas Harbour, Devon Island( 74°35'N, 82°10'W), and several collections from Baffin Island. Collected by Hart (Fries,1879) from Cape York, NW Greenland ( 75°56'N).

Cladonia pyxidata (L.) Hoffm. Common. Mountain slopes, W of Mesa Creek; 18, 19. Sand-stone hill 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek; 23. Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; 31. SW slope ofmountain, E side of Mesa Creek; 22. Two specimens (22, 23) had primary squamulesonly; the others were var. pocillum ( Ach.) Flot.

Collema tenax ( Sw.) Ach. Calcareous clay-boulder area close to snout of Gilman Glacier;3, 17.

Dactylina arctica (Hook.) Nyl. Head of Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft. (81°59'N, 70°48'W), 37.Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously reported from near Sir InglisPeak, Harbour Fiord Area ( 76°40'N, 84°20'W).

Dactylina ramulosa ( Hook.) Tuck. Scree slopes, E side of Mesa Creek valley; 25, 33.Fulgensia bracteata ( Hoffm.) Ras. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; 32. Rocky-clay

barrens near Gilman Glacier snout; 1.Hypogymnia austerodes (Nyl.) Ras. Rocky-clay barrens near Gilman Glacier snout; 7. New

to Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Pond Inlet (72°43'N, 77°45'W) and ClydeInlet, Baffin Island, and Greenland.

Lecanora epibryon ( Ach.) Ach. Common, clay-boulder areas around snout of Gilman Glacier;12, 14, 16.

Lecanora verrucosa Ach. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 16.Lecidea decipiens (Hedw.) Ach. E side of Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; 28.Lecidea lapicida ( Ach.) Ach. On rocks close to snout of Gilman Glacier; 41h.

248 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 70

Lecidea rubiformis ( Ach. ) Wahlenb. Clay area close to Gilman Glacier; 12, 16. A slightnorthern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Discovery Harbour( 81°43'N ) ( Fries, 1879 ).

Lecidea sp. ( possibly L. ramulosa Th. Fr. ). Clay-boulder area below snout of Gilman Glacier;s.n.

Omphalodiscus virginis ( Schaer. ) Schol. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, above 2,500 ft.; 34,36. Mountain slope, E side of Gilman Glacier near the snout; La.

Peltigera canina var rufescens ( Weiss ) Mudd. S slope of mountain, W of Mesa Creek; 20.Sandstone hill, 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek; 24.

Physcia muscigena ( Ach. ) Nyl. Common on rocky clay barrens and mountain scree slopes.Mountain slope, W side of Mesa Creek; 21. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley; 27. Boulder-clay area close to snout of Gilman Glacier; 7.

Physcia muscigena f. lenta ( Ach.) Vain. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 3.Placynthium aspratile ( Ach.) Henss. Scree slope, E side of Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; 30.

This collection was reported by Henssen ( 1963 ).Protoblastenia terricola (Anzi) Th. Fr. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 9, 12.

New to Ellesmere Island and Canada. An extension westward in the Arctic; previouslyreported from W and NE Greenland, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya.

Rinodina nimbosa ( Fr. ) Th. Fr. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 13. Newto Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Clyde Inlet ( 70°26'N, 68°30'W) and CapeSearle, Baffin Island, and Melville Peninsula.

Sporastatia testudinea ( Ach. ) Mass. Rock-boulder area near snout of Gilman Glacier; 41a.Squamarina lentigera ( G. Web. ) Poelt. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 4.

New to Ellesmere Island. This species has not been reported from the Canadian ArcticArchipelago and is a very considerable range extension from the Yukon and the westernplains area of the North American Continent, where it is reported from Colorado, Utah,North Dakota, and Saskatchewan.

Stereocaulon glareosum (Say. ) Magn. Near Bridge Glacier; s.n.Stereocaulon glareosum var. brachyphylloides Lamb. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,350

ft.; s.n.Stereocaulon rivulorum Magn. Soil beside Bridge Glacier, 2,500 ft.; Soper 27223 (Trim ).

Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island ( 81°51'N, 72°04'W); previously reportedfrom Craig Harbour ( 76°10'N, 80°56'W ).

Thamnolia subuliformis (Ehrh. ) W. Culb. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 2.Thamnolia vermicularis ( Sw. ) Schaer. Rocky-clay barrens near snout of Gilman Glacier; 7.Toninia coeruleonigricans (Lightf.) Th. Fr. Clay-boulder area close to snout of Gilman Glacier;

8.Umbilicaria hyperborea ( Ach. ) Ach. Rocks, E slope of Mesa Creek valley (81°59'N, 70°48'W);

35. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Craig Har-bour ( 76°10'N, 80°56'W) ( Llano, 1950).

Xanthoria elegans ( Link ) Th. Fr. Common on screes and rock bird perches. Rock bouldernear snout of Gilman Glacier; 39, 40.

HEPATICS

Marchantia polymorpha L. By animal remains, along stream 0.5 mi. N of Hazen Camp( 81°50'N, 71°18'W); s.n. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously re-ported from Goose Fiord ( 76°30'N, 88°40'W) ( Polunin, 1947 ).

Peltolepis quadrata ( Sant. ) K. Mull. Lower slopes of Mt. McGill, on small pockets of claysoil (81°51'N, 71°26'W); A. Apparently new to Ellesmere Island; not listed by Polunin( 1947 ) for the Canadian Eastern Arctic.

Preissia quadrata ( Scop.) Nees. Mesa area, W side of Mesa Creek; M.10.Sauteria alpina Nees. Along small creek, near Hazen Camp; B.

MOSSES

Andreaea rupestris Hedw. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, 2,300-2,400 ft. (81°59'N,70°48'W); M.16. New to Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Philpots Island eastof Devon Island ( ca. 74°55'N) ( Steere, 1947 ).

Aulacomnium palustre ( Hedw. ) Schwaegr. Edge of pond 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp, 900ft.; s.n.

1967] POWELL : CRYPTOGAMS FROM ELLESMERE ISLAND 249

Aulacomnium turgidum (Wahlenb.) Schwaegr. Edge of pond 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp,900 ft.; s.n. Slopes near head of Mesa Creek valley, 3,000 ft.; M.18a.

Bryum angustirete Mac. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek, 2,000 ft.; M.7.Bryum knowltonii Barnes. Fort Conger, around huts put up by Peary in 1900, (81°43'N); .s.n.

Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously reported from Fram Harbour( 78°45'N ) ( Steere, 1947 ).

Bryum nitidulum Lindb. 50 ft. from snout of Dryas Glacier; M.19.Bryum stenotrichum C. Miill. S slope of sandstone hill, 0.5 mi. NW of Hazen Camp; s.n.

Valley at base of Mt. McGill, 2 mi. N of Hazen Camp; sm. Sandstone hill 1.2 mi. W ofMesa Creek, 1,800 ft.; M.11.

Bryum sp. Various sterile collections: Stream N of Hazen Camp; s.n. Valley at base of Mt.McGill; s.n. Mountain slope, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek; M.2. Mountain slope, E of MesaCreek; M.5b. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,300 ft.; s.n. Nunatak, E side of Gil-man Glacier, 3,500 ft.; Hattersley-Smith 72 (cAN). Lake Hazen area; Harington s.n. (CAN).

Campylium stellatum (Hedw.) C. Jens. Marsh on W side of Gilman River, 2 mi. S of GilmanGlacier; M.21.

Cinclidium stygium Sw. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.6. Collected by R. A.Lenton on Ward Hunt Island (83°07'N, 74°30'W) in July 1960. These two collectionsextend the northern range on Ellesmere Island from Craig Harbour (76°10'N, 80°56'W)(Steere, 1947).

Desmatodon latifolius (Hedw.) Brid. Sandstone hill, 0.5 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.;M.10a.

Distichiuni capillaceum (Hedw.) B.S.G. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.3.Distichium sp. Mountain slope, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek; F.la.Ditrichum flexicaule (Schwaegr.) Hampe. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 3,500 ft.; Hat-

tersley-Smith 98, 99 (CAN).Drepanocladus revolvens (Sw.) Warnst. Bottom of small lake, 1 mi. E of Mesa Creek; M.24a.Drepanocladus vernicosus (C. Hartm.) Warnst. Small lake, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp; s.n.

(2 collections). Eriophorum scheuchzeri-Carex stans marsh on W side of Gilman River,2 mi. S of Gilman Glacier (82°01'N, 70°12'W); M.23. Northern range extension forEllesmere Island; previously reported from Craig Harbour (76°10'N, 80°56'W) (Steere,1947).

Encalypta rhaptocarpa Schwaegr. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.5.Encalypta sp. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.3.Grimmia sp. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,350 ft.; s.n.Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. Lake Hazen Area; Harington s.n. (CAN).Hypnum vaucheri Lesq. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 3,500 ft. and 1 ft. from glacial

ice: s.n.Leptobryum pyriforme (Hedw.) Wils. Small lake, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp (81°50'N,

71°31'W); s.n. S slope of sandstone hill, 0.5 mi. NW of Hazen Camp; s.n. By animal re-mains, 0.5 mi. N of Hazen Camp; s.n. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; pre-viously reported from Fort Juliane (79°03'N) (Steere, 1947).

Meesea trifaria Crum, Steere & Anderson. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek, 2,000ft. (81°59'N, 70°27'W); M.4. A slight northern range extension for Ellesmere Island;previously reported from Fort Conger (81 °43'N ) (Steere, 1947).

Mnium affine Funck. Marsh on W side of Gilman River, 2 mi. S of Gilman Glacier; M.22.Myurella julacea (Schwaegr.) B.S.G. Mountain slope, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek; M.la.Oncophorus wahlenbergii Brid. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, 2,500 ft. (81°59'N, 70°48'W);

M.15, L.26b. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previously reported fromSlidre Fiord (79°58'N) (Holmen, 1953).

Orthothecium chryseum (Schultes) B.S.G. Common. Pond, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp; sm.(2 collections). Mountain slopes, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek, between 2,000-2,500 ft.; M.1,F.I. Head of Mesa Creek valley, 2,500 ft.; M.17. SW slope of mountain, E side of MesaCreek; M.7.

Orthotrichum speciosum Sturm. Blister Creek, near Bridge Glacier; s.n.Philonotis Fontana (Hedw.) Brid. Mountain slope, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek; F.la. SW slope

of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.8.Pogonatum alpinum (Hedw.) R6111. Summit of 4,225 ft. peak above Bridge Glacier; s.n.

Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, above 2,500 ft.; M.17. S side of valley between Dryas and

250 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 70

Gilman Glaciers, 2,800 ft.; M.20. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,350 ft.; sm.Pohlia sp. Edge of pond, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp, 900 ft.; s.n.Folytrichuzn 1uniperinum Hedw. Sandstone hill, 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.; M.9, 12.

Head of Mesa Creek valley, above 2,500 ft.; M.18.Polytrichum piliferunz Hedw. Along stream, 0.5 mi. NW of Hazen Camp; s.n. Sandstone hill,

1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.; M.14.Rhacomitrium canescens (Hedw.) Brid. Sandstone hill, 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.;

L.24a.Rhacomitrium lanuginosum ( Hedw.) Brid. Scree slopes, Mesa Creek valley, 2,500 ft.; L.26a.Scorpidium scorpioides (Hedw.) Limpr. Bottom of small lake, 1 mi. E of Mesa Creek, 1,300

ft. ( 81°57'N, 69°58'W); M.24. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previouslyreported from near Fort Juliane ( 79°03'N, 77°00'W) ( Steere, 1947).

Splachum ovatum Hedw. Edge of pond, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp ( 81°50'N, 71°31'W);s.n. New to Ellesmere Island; not recorded by Steere (1947) for the Canadian EasternArctic.

Stegonia latifolia (Schultes) Broth. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek, 2,000 ft.( 81°59'N, 70°27'W); M.3b. Northern range extension for Ellesmere Island; previouslyreported from Harbour Fiord ( 76°40'N, 84°20'W) and Goose Fiord (Steere, 1947).

Stegonia latifolia var pilifera (Brid.) Broth. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,350 ft.( 82°11'N, 70°57'W); s.n. Northern range extension; previously reported from BeitstadFiord (79°02'N, 78°00'W) (Steere, 1947).

Tetraplodon innioides (Hedw.) B.S.G. Sandstone hill, 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.;M.13a.

Timmia austriaca Hedw. Mountain slope, 4 mi. W of Mesa Creek; M.1a.Tomenthypnum nitens (Hedw.) Loeske. Edge of pond, 1 mi. WNW of Hazen Camp, 900 ft.;

s.n. Marsh on W side of Gilman River, 2 mi. S of Gilman Glacier; M.23a.Tortula mucronifolia Schwaegr. SW slope of mountain, E side of Mesa Creek; M.5a. Nunatak,

E side of Gilman Glacier, 4,350 ft.; s.n.Tortula ruralis (Hedw.) Gaertn., Meyer & Scherb. Nunatak, E side of Gilman Glacier, 3,500

ft., and 1 ft. from glacial ice; s.n.Voitia nivalis Hornsch. Sandstone hill, 1.2 mi. W of Mesa Creek, 1,800 ft.; M.13.

LITERATURE CITED

FRIES, T. M. 1879. On the lichens collected during the English Polar Expedition of 1875-76.Jour. Linn. Soc. Bot. 17: 346-370.

HENSSEN, A. 1963. The North American species of Placynthium. Canad. Jour. Bot. 41: 1687-1724.

HOLMEN, K. 1953. Bryophytes of Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island. THE B RYOLOGIST 56:242-248.

LLANO, G. A. 1950. A monograph of the lichen family Umbilicariaceae in the western hem-isphere. Washington, D.C.

LYNGE, B. 1947. Lichenes. Pp. 298-369 in Polunin, N. (ed.), "Botany of the Canadian East-ern Arctic. II Thallophyta and Bryophyta." Natl. Mus. Canad., Bull. 97.

POLUNIN, N. 1947. Hepaticae. Pp. 491-512 in Polunin, N. (ed.), "Botany of the CanadianEastern Arctic. II. Thallophyta and Bryophyta." Natl. Mus. Canad., Bull. 97.

POWELL, J. M. 1961. The vegetation and micro-climate of the Lake Hazen Area, NorthernEllesmere Island, N.W.T. Arctic Meteorology Research Group, McGill Univ., Montreal,Publ. in Meteorology No. 38; Defence Research Board, Ottawa, D. Phys R(G). Hazen 14.112 pp.

SCHUSTER, R. M., W. C. S TEERE & J. W. THOMSON. 1959. The terrestrial cryptogams of north-ern Ellesmere Island. Natl. Mus. Canad., Bull. 164.

S TEERE, W. C. 1947. Musci. Pp. 370-490 in N. Polunin (ed.), "Botany of the CanadianEastern Arctic. II Thallophyta and Bryophyta." Natl. Mus. Canad., Bull. 97.