The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1930, Page 44
III. TYPES OF ICELANDIC VEGETATION.
The types of the Icelandic vegetation, their floristic composition,
and their dislribution in the various parts of Iceland have been
treated in a series of works by Chr. Gronlund (1887 and 1884),
St. Stefánsson (1895), Helgi Jónsson (1895, 1900, 1905 and
1913), C. H. Ostenfeld (1899 and 1905), Th. Thoroddsen (1914),
and Ingimar Óskarsson (1927).
In “The Botany of Iceland” 1914, pp. 317—343, Thoroddsen
gives a general view of the types of Icelandic vegelation, attaching
to each type a brief discussion of its íloristic peculiarities.
According to this the types of vegetation occurring in Iceland
are the following:
1. The Vegetation of the Coasl Line. a. Rock vegetation,
b. fowling cliff vegetation, c. sand strand vegetation, d. salt-
marsh vegetation.
2. 'I'he Vegetation of Fresh Water. a. Vegetation of running
water, b. of lakes and pools.
3. The Vegetation around Springs (the Dý Vegetation).
4. The Vegetation around Hot Springs. a. Around hot
alkaline springs, b. around the solfataras.
5. The Vegetation on Wet Soil. a. Mýri vegetation, b. flói
vegetation.
<5. The Vegetation on Rockj' Flats. a. On gravélly flats
(melar), b. stone-covered ridges (holt), c. river gravel (urd),
d. rocky boulders (hamrar), e. (eyrar), f. clayey flats (flag).
7. The Vegetation of the Mountain Slopes. Under this
head come the herb slope and the herb flats.
8. Psaminophi 1 ous Vegetations. a. Sand-covered tracts (san-
dar), b. blown sand (dunes).
9. The Vegetation of the Lava Streams; in various stages
of development.