Evening star., 1950-05-12
Time Island in Arctic
Is Found Rich in Flora
Conodion Areo Believed
Missed by Glaciers
By Thomos r. Henry

By Themes r. Henry
Finding Of q riotously blossoming time
island" In extreme Northern Canada has
just been reported 10 the Arctic Insti-
tute Of North America.
1t Is the region Of the Scented Grass
Hills west Of Great Slave Lake. To the
east are the worlds greatest radium ore
deposits.
elevations Of which were not touched by
the last great glsciation. which swept
down out Of the Arctic about $4,000
from which, some authorities believe.
Canada and the Northern United States
Just now are emerging.
Previously there had been Q fairly
temperate climate. The plants escaped
the slow-moving ice by retreating UP the
hillsides. where they survived despite
the cold. Since the retreat Of the gla-
ciers. they are spreading out again. All
around them plant life to which they
were related was crushed.
Canadian Makes Report.
The report on this phenomenon Is by
DR.. A. E. Porsild Of the National Museum
of Canada. leader of an expedition under
the first botanical exploration Of the
great islands Of the Canadian Arctic.
Victoria Land and Banks Land, chiefly
known in history for the mishaps Of early
explorers There is some evidence that
the time island extends into these
regions, Many Of the same species are
found there.
The natural affinity Of the Scented
iS inf fn@ IN thA
port, is with Alaska and the Yukon.
But the closest relations of the plant life
found there today, Dr. PorSild says. are
in the so-called Cordillera region.
which includes the Rockies and the
Cascades. Once. apparently. there was
O continuous range Of these plants. the
northern part Of which was blotted out
by the inexorably advancing ice which
Just missed the hilltops and left them
standing as small dry islands, or 'nuna-
taks." In the all-encompassing desola-
ton.
Dr. Porsild frst came to this conclus-
ion. he says. during a very brief visit to
the region more than % years ago. His
present visit. during which he conducted
field trips through this region OF hills
dotted with small lakes. afforded abun-
dant evidence for his hypothesis.
The major objective. however. was the
botanical exploration OF Victoria Land
and Banks Land. He made his head
quarters at a Hudson's Bay Co. station
at Holman Island Point in Victoria Land.
on the northern shore of the Amundsen
Gulf. The region Is sparSely inhabited.
the only other white men there being the
post manager and missionary priest.
At the time of the botaniStS landing
late in June, the latter had already
killed 800 seals and buried them in sand
as a food reserve against the coming
winter for his itinerant charges.
Country Looked Barren.
From the plane, the country below
looked rocky and barren. But as the air
craft came down there was revealed
land ablaze with color.
In full bloom on the hillside" reports
Dr.. Porsild. were masses OF creamy
white mountain avena (members Of the
rose family, purple loco weeds and mag
nificent yellow cinquefoils. On the SOUTH 81
facing slopes we could even And minia-
ture rock gardens, all gay with purple
gentians. yellow arnicas, Lapland rhodo-
dendrons and daisies. In rock creyices
there were three kinds OF rock ferns"
Much the same condition was found
in Banks Land. In few hours Of col
lecting DR.. Porsild doubled the number
of known higher plants Of the region.
There is considerable evidence. he says.
that the northern and western parts OF
this island never were glaciated. In the
north $500 foot elevations are found.
There seem to be no pronounced glacial
deposits. The rivers which flow out OF
the high hills have eroded deep canyons.
which indicate that they must have been
flowing continuously during the glaciated
period.
Altogether, DR.. Porsild gathered l74
species of higher plants on Banks Land.
Only 65 were known before. On VIC
toria Land he found 20l species, against
106 hitherto recorded.
The species are such as to suggest long
isolation. The fora Of both islands seems
more closely related to that Of the Rock
les and the Cascades than to that OF
the Yukon or Alaska. This was quite
contrary to DR.. Porsild's expectations.
despite the findings in the Scented
Grass Hills to the southwark.