The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1942, Síða 7
PREFACE
In 1935 I made a journey to Iceland for the purpose of investigating
the Taraxacum-flora of that country. This flora, at the time, was
not very well known- and was supposed to be richer in species than the
literature indicated. Thus in ‘The Flora of Iceland and the Faeroes’
by C. H. Ostenfeld and Johs. Gröntved only four species
from Iceland are described. The supposition proved correct. The
Taraxacum-flora in Iceland was abundant, and was indeed, very rich
in species. So as to gain a more thorough knowledge of the species in
a short time, I therefore, immediately after my retum from the journey,
began to grow as many as possible of the Icelandic species in my
garden. In the spring of 1937 the plants were flowering, and then it
turned out that there were more species than I had at first supposed.
In the summer of 1937 I decidcd to continue my studies in the field,
and so I went to Iceland again.
The results of my investigations are presented in the present treatise.
The expenses of my joumey in the year 1935 were defrayed by
Dansk-Islandsk Forbundsfond, to which I tender my best thanks.
Further I am indebted to the Director of the Botanical Garden of
Copenhagen, Professor, Dr. Knud Jessen for his assistance when
I sent in my application for a grant of funds for the journey, and to
the Librarian, Mr. Johs. Gröntved, M.Sc., and to Mr. T h o r v.
Sorensen, Ph.D., for good advice concerning my joumeys, as well
as much valuable assistance during my work of identifying the numerous
species. Finally I should like to thank the Director of Riksmuseets Bo-
taniska Avdelningen, Stockholm, Professor, Dr. GunnarSamuels-
s o n for his kindness during my studies at the Riksmuseum.
Finally I am indebted to Mr. Carl Christensen M.Sc. of
Copenhagen for his kind help in correcting the Latin diagnoses and
to Miss Annie I. Fausboll M.A. for revision of the English
translation.