873 



merely describes the vegetation of difTerent localities: e. g. »Bo«, 

 moor, shore, lake etc. For each locality the common and domi- 

 nant piants are recorded with remarks on features of biological in- 

 terest. A few examples will illustrate his method. Describing a »Bo«, 

 Rostrup enumerates the principal characteristic grasses, and he points 

 out that the grasses of the Færoes are particularly liable to appear 

 as »viviparous« forms, a condition which »may probably be attri- 

 buted to the moistness of the atmosphere«. The grasses of the 

 thatched roofs are included in this list. Then follows a list of 

 those »flowering« herbs which occur most frequently among the 

 grasses. The »Bo« at Sand on Sando, a well-known Færoese 

 locality for flowering piants is described at some length. He con- 

 cludes with a list of species, which although most at home in »the 

 higher regions«, may appear occasionally in the »Bo«. Other plant- 

 associations and their habitats are dealt with in like manner (1. c, 

 p. 12—20). 



The introduction also contains some interesting notes on the 

 duration of species. Rostrup points out the peculiar absence of 

 trees and shrubs, and that most of the piants are perennial herbs, 

 while the comparatively few annual and biennial piants which are 

 found, occur with few exceptions as weeds in the arable land, in 

 enclosed fields, or near the sea. He estimates that »about half 

 a score of true mountain piants« are annuals or biennials, and 

 gives the names of six species. Only one of these however, is an 

 annual, another is a parasitic plant, and the remainder are peren- 

 nials. The annual referred to is still the one annual species on 

 the Færoese mountains, viz. Koenigia. 



During the next 20 years no papers were published on the 

 vegetation of the Færoes, but early in the nineties a fresh start 

 was made. 



The first to be mentioned is a short contribution by two Eng- 

 lish ladies, Miss Copland and Miss Birley (1891), who visited 

 the Færoes in 1889: this contains few observations which had not 

 been made already. In describing an ascent of Odnedalstind on 

 Stromo a few common mountain piants are recorded: Raniincuhis 

 glacialis, R. acer piimila etc. 



In 1895 the Swedish botanist, Dr. H. G. Simmons made a 

 voyage to the Færoes, principally to study marine algae, but he 

 also made collections on land, and gives brief floristic notes on these. 

 (Simmons 1896). 



