Rit (Vísindafélag Íslendinga) - 01.08.1930, Page 3

INTRODUCTION.
During the summer 1930 I had an opportunity to go for
a short trip to Asólfsstaðir in Þjórsárdalur. Although there
were many things of botanical value worth examining, my
time was so limited that I couldn’t possibly undertake to exa-
mine more than one group of the vegetation. Therefore, I
selected the forest-vegetation, both because I expected to
discover someihing new there, and more especially, because
next to nothing has been written about the flora of the Ice-
landic forests. Most of those, who have written about forests,
have only dealt with the growth of trees, but left out the
vegetation-carpet which covers the forest-ground. For my
observations I used the method of Prof. Chr. Raunkiær, as
will be stated later on.
THE FLORA NEAR ÁSÓLFSSTAÐIR.
The farm Ásólfsstaðir is situated in a fairly big valley
between the two mountains, Hagafjall and Skriðufellsfjall. On
the east side, under Skriðufellsfjall, is the farm Skriðufell.
Between the two farms flows the river Hvammsá; it is a
small river, which comes from the north and flows through a
small valley. On both sides of the river is quite a big birch
forest, which extends high up the slope. There is also some
forest-land below and beyond Skriðufell. The forest is consi-
dered most beautiful in a place called Vatnsás. A short
disfance beyond Skriðufell begin the wastes and the sands of
Þjórsárdalur.
Nature around Ásólfsstaðir is both beautiful and varied;
the narrow vale is fertile and affords good shelter, in spite