A number of plant, animal and fungal species have been named to his honour, e.g. Saxifraga nathorstii (Dusén) Hayek (East Greenland saxifrage) and a suite of fossil plant species, Williamsonia nathorstii Carruthers (a fossil dragonfly) and Laestadites nathorstii Mesch. (a fossil fungus).
Little vegetation can be found in Auyuittuq Park, although the plants found there range from flowers such as Mountain Avens, Campion, Papaver, and Saxifrage to shrubs like Dwarf Birch, Arctic Willow, and heather.
The site also support a variety of typical limestone grassland plants which include Common Rock-rose, Cowslip, Lady's Bedstraw, Common Restharrow, Dwarf Thistle, Burnet-saxifrage, Field Scabious, Quaking-grass and Green-winged Orchids.
The main species in the plant communities here are Upright brome (Bromus erectus), Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina), Quaking-grass (Briza media), and downland herbs such as Burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga), Salad-burnet (Sanguisorba minor), Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) and Dwarf Thistle (Cirsium acaule).
Located on London Clay, it has many flowers typical of clay pasture, such as greater bird's-foot-trefoil and burnet-saxifrage.
Sheep’s bit (Jasione montana) is a southern species that can be seen on the Vaarunjyrkkä cliff, along with plants native to the fell area: glaucous bluegrass (Poa glauca) and alpine saxifrage (Micranthes nivalis).