398 A. HESSELBO 



these finds are enumerated, is so full of mistakes that it is quite 

 worthless. 



Japetus Steenstrup collected (1839-40) some Bryophyle 

 samples in West and North Iceland and in the interior of the 

 country. 



But it was not until Gronlund's investigations that the foun- 

 dation was laid of a real knowledge of the Bryophyte Vegetation 

 of Iceland, he not only critically revised the older lists, but also 



*/ / 



prepared lists of his own collections. It was also Gronlund 

 who was the first to give real descriptions of moss societies. 

 Gronlund's journeys in 1868 and 1876 extended over West and 

 North Iceland, from Reykjavik across Esja to Borgarfjordur and 

 thence to Skagafjordur, Eyjafjordur and Myvatn. He did not visit 

 East, South and North-w r est Iceland. 



In recent times the Iceland botanists Ola fur Davidsson, 

 Stefan Ste fans son and Helgi Jonsson have contributed con- 

 siderably to our knowledge of the Bryophyta of Iceland. 



Olafur Davidsson (died 1902) made, during 1899 1900, very 

 considerable and valuable collections in North Iceland around 

 Eyjafjordur and Skagafjordur and on the small island of Grimsey 

 north of the Arctic Circle. His collections, which belong to the 

 Reykjavik Museum, have only now been determined. 



Stefan Ste fans son, the head of a school in Modruvellir and 

 member of the Althing up to 1916, has made collections during 

 many years, especially in North and North-east Iceland. The 

 greater part of his material is published in Gronlund's list. 



Helgi Jonsson, Dr. phil. and teacher in Reykjavik, on his 

 numerous journeys to almost all the different parts of the island, 

 has everywhere collected specimens of the Bryophyte Vegetation, and 

 in his descriptions of the vegetation of Iceland has usually men- 

 tioned the Bryophyta also. His collections, which are preserved 

 in the Botanical Museum in Copenhagen, are determined by C.Jen- 

 sen. Besides the botanists mentioned above, a few others have 

 also occasionally collected specimens of the Bryophyte Vegetation. 

 C. Ostenfeld, during a few short visits, has especially investigated 

 the lava-fields and the hot springs near Reykjavik and on the 

 peninsula of Reykjanes. A. Feddersen (1884 86) made some 

 collections in South and West Iceland. Dr. C. Hansen, Professor 

 Th. Thoroddson and Petur Sophoniasson collected mosses 



