The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1945, Page 133

THE VEGETATION OF CENTRAL ICELAND
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Taraxacum dominates here, also, but the number of species and the
density are less than in analysis 6. The vegetation corresponds entireiy
to that of the terminal moraine in Kringilsárrani, whence analysis
XXIII, 7 is derived. Still there is a great difference in the spectra of
the two morainic ridges. On Eyjabakkar the arctic species are much
Fig. 13. Profile of the morainic ridge on Eyjabakkar.
The figures refer to analysis in Tab. XXIV.
Fig. 14. Profile of the morainic ridge on Eyjabakkar.
The figures refer to analysis in Tab. XXIV.
more cospicuous than in Kringilsárrani, and the Ch percentage is
higher. But the difference is much more striking if we consider the
two moraines. The vegetation of Eyjabakkar by no means exhibits the
same luxuriance as that of Kringilsárrani, where the thought of a fairly
luxuriant vegetation suggests itself. However, both places are situated
at about the same altitude, but probably the climate is more severe
on Eyjabakkar than in Kringilsárrani.
Analyses 7 and 8 were made on the aforementioned folds lying in
front of a great part of the morainic ridge on Eyjabakkar. T h o r o d d-
sen (Ferðabok III, p. 275) describes these folds as follows (trans-
lated from the Danish) : “In front of the terminal moraine proper
there are distinct traces showing • how strong the pressure was. The
soil has been pressed up into undulating ridges, which follow the
direction of the glacier’s edge, but grow lower as they move away from
the latter.... A luxuriant vegetation was found everywhere, one waded
in the grass to the middle of the thigh, and the vegetation consisted of
Carices and Eriophorum.” Analyses 7 and 8 were taken on these folds,
7 on the ridge of the wave, 8 in a depression. A comparison of the
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