The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1912, Blaðsíða 9

PREFACE.
1T was mentioned in llie preface to the “Botany of the Færöes” (Co-
penhagen & London, 1901—1908) that, on the completion of tliat
work, Iceland would be the one island among the dependencies of the
Danish kingdom in the Atlantic which was in most need of a thorough
and systematic investigation as regards its botany, and the hope was
expressed that this would be commenced as early as the year 1909.
This liope has been so far realized that we, the undersigned, are now
able to publish the íirst paper on the subject, viz. “Tlie Marine Algal
Vegetation” by Dr. Helgi Jónsson of Reykjavík. Iceland, however, is
so large compared with the Færöes that the investigation will not only
be far more difficult to carry out, but will also extend over a far longer
period.
We hope that specialists in botany may be able, at short intervals,
to visit tlie island and make collections and notes. Thus, even in 1910
a young bryologist, A. Hesselbo, studied the moss-vegetation — when
he took the photographs, published in the present paper — and this
summer he is again paying a visit to the island, after which he will
prepare an account of the moss-llora and the moss-vegetation of Iceland.
Next summer we hope that a young lichenologist will be able to
set to work in a similar manner, and will be followed by others, until
the work can be completed with a general account of the vegetation and
the plant-geographical position of the island.
L. KOLDERUP ROSENVINGE. EUG. WARMING.
COPENHAGEN, Aug. 1912.