Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1999, Page 150

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SAUSSUREA ALPINA (L.) DC. SUBSP. ALPINA (ASTERACEAE) -
ALPINE SAW-WORT: A NEW RECORD FROM THE FAROEISLANDS
Introduction
The long-distance dispersal of plants and
animals from continental areas to remote
archipelagos has been, in general, a
favourite topic in biology for centuries and
in island biogeography, in particular. Easi-
ly dispersed plant species belonging, for in-
stance, to the Asteraceae are well repre-
sented on islands, which for many has been
seen as an indication of the general
“weedy” character of island floras. The
Faroe Islands also contain several members
of the Asteraceae (Rasmussen, 1952; Han-
sen, 1966; Fosaa, 1999; Jóhansen et al.,
2000).
During a recent survey of the mountain
vegetation on Streymoy island in the Faroe
Islands, still another taxon belonging to the
Asteraceae was recorded, i.e. the Saussurea
alpina Subsp. alpina.
In this paper, we describe the new record,
how it may have come to the Faroe Islands,
and the lessons to be learned from this new
and remarkable discovery, as concems
botanical research and management in the
archipelago.
Saussurea alpina in the Faroe Islands
Saussurea alpina (L.) DC. Subsp. alpina
was discovered in the Faroe Islands for the
first time in August 1999 by the authors.
The locality is in the northwestem section
of District 19 (Fosaa, 1999) on the island of
Streymoy (Fig. 1) above the village of Vest-
manna at an altitude of 300 m a.s.l. on the
south-facing gentle slope of a mountain in
a rough terrain of rocks with little-vegetat-
ed scree.
One mature and 10 vegetative specimens
of Saussurea alpina were found in an area
approximately two m2. Approximately 200
m north of this area, three additional vege-
tative specimens were found.
The collected specimen, which is de-
posited in the Herbarium of the Museum of
Natural History in Torshavn, was an adult,
10-cm perennial herb with erect stem. The
leaves are altemate, and distantly denticu-
late. The shape of the leaves is simple
ovate or lanceolate. The underside of the
leaves is densely covered with white wool-
ly-hair. The leaf base is rounded with a
one-cm long petiole. The inflorescence has
four capitulae. Each capitulum is 10-12
mm long with 10-20 blue to purple, tubu-
lar-shaped corolla. The pappus is feathery.
The phyllaries are imbricated, non-spinous
in many rows and are round to obtuse at the
apex. Their colour is dark purple with very
long, white adpressed hairs.
The stature of Saussurea alpina in the
Faroe Islands is low as compared to the
populations in mainland Europe, e.g. in
Fennoscandia, which are 20-40 cm high
(Lid and Lid, 1994). Yet, such diminished
ecotypes of many species are seen in the
Faroe Islands, due to the extreme oceanic
and cool climate prevailing in the archipel-
ago.
Systematics and Ecology
of Saussurea alpina
The genus Saussurea is named after the
Swiss natural scientist, Th. de Saussure
(1767-1845), (Lindman, 1974). The genus
contains approximately 130 northem hemi-
spheric taxa, most of which are found only
in Asian mountain areas (Hulten and Fries,