Panarctic Flora

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010303 Huperzia arctica (Grossh. ex Tolm.) Sipliv.

Distribution

Kanin - Pechora: Rare
Svalbard - Franz Joseph Land: Scattered
Polar Ural - Novaya Zemlya: Rare
Yamal - Gydan: Rare
Taimyr - Severnaya Zemlya: Scattered
Anabar - Onenyo: Scattered
Kharaulakh: Scattered
Yana - Kolyma: Rare
West Chukotka: Frequent
Wrangel Island: Rare
South Chukotka: Scattered
East Chukotka: Presence uncertain
Western Alaska: Presence uncertain
Northern Alaska - Yukon: Presence uncertain
Central Canada: Scattered
Hudson Bay - Labrador: Rare
Ellesmere Island: Rare
Western Greenland: Frequent
Eastern Greenland: Frequent
Northern arctic Tundra: Scattered
Mid Arctic Tundra: Frequent
Southern Arcti Tundra: Frequent
Shrub Tundra: Frequent
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Scattered

Geography: Circumpolar?: NOR (Svalbard) RUS SIB RFE ALA? CAN GRL.

Notes: We have compared plants of Huperzia arctica from the type region of northern Yakutia with plants from the arctic parts of western Siberia, European Russia, Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, and northeastern Canada (those not included in the maps under any name by Wagner Jr. and Beitel 1993). We find these plants essentially similar. Spore production has been documented in plants of this taxon from northern Greenland and Svalbard and sexuality (i.e., specific rank) is assumed. We have not yet proved bulbil reproduction combined with spore abortion (i.e., hybrid indications) in material of this taxon but we have not investigated it very closely. This species may also occur in the high mountains of Iceland and mainland Norway but has not been documented from the more lowland arctic parts.

We are in doubt where to assign the arctic plants from northeastern Chukotka, Alaska, and the Yukon Territory. These plants deviate from H. arctica in several characters, e.g., colour, shoot shape, leaf shape, and the number of whorls of bulbils. Wagner Jr. and Beitel (1993) included them in H. haleakalae.

Higher Taxa