The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1914, Page 116

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THORODDSEN
cording to St. Stefansson’s “Flora Islands,” where 359 species are
described, 197 species are conimon all over the island, 37 common
in a few districts, 72 species are rather rare, and 53 species very rare.
As already mentioned, the vegetation has a homogeneous cha-
racter throughout the island, and — according to our present know-
ledge — there are only a few species which are especially cliarac-
teristic of certain parts of the island. East Iceland (Múlassýslur)
is most noticeable in this respect; also, plant-geographically,
Austur-Skaftafellssysla, which stretches as a narrow ribbon along
the southern edge of Vatnajökull as far as to Skeidarársandur; this
extensive sandj7 tract l'orms a limit for several of the eastern spe-
cies. Campanula rotundifolia is a common characteristic plant in
East Iceland, but very rarely so in other places; I found the most
westerly individuals of this species on Brunasandur towards the
southw'est, and at Hólkná in the district of Thistilfjord towards the
north, but it is very common east of these boundaries. Saxifraga
aizoides is very common in East Iceland, but has not been found
elsewhere — I found it in a most south-westerly direction at 0ræfi
and in a most north-westerly direction near Vidirhóll at Fjallasveit.
Trientalis europea grows in various places in the coppice-woods of
East Iceland, but nowhere else; Alchimilla fœröensis is also common
in East Iceland, but has not been found elsewhere. Cerastium Ed-
mondstonii has been found in some places in East Iceland and in
one locality in Skaftafellssysla. Saxifraga Cotyledon grows along
the south-eastern coast from Foss in Sida to Eskifjord, and two
species of rose, Rosa pimpinellifolia and R. canina, grow7 along the
same stretch of coast and nowhere else; the former was found in
three habitats, westernmost at Seljaland and easternmost at Reydar-
fjord; the latter was found only at Tvisker on Breidamerkursandur.
Lychnis flos cnculi growrs along the south coast from Eyjafjöll to
0ræfi and has not been found in other districts.
In South and South-west Iceland several species are common
W'hich either are not found or are very rare in other districts.
Spirœa ulmaria is common from Borgarfjord to Lónsheidi, rare in
other places, and not found in Mulasyslur; Brunella vulgaris is very
common in South Iceland, but very rare in other places; Plantago
lanceolata is also common in South Iceland, but has otherwise been
found only in a few places in North Iceland near hot springs. Suc-
cisa pratensis is characteristic of South Iceland and is' especially
common in Vestur-Skaftafellssysla, west of Brunasandur. Valeriana