934 



It is worthy of notice that all the phanerogams named for the 

 coast-clifFs (the Glyceria's not being included) are succulent piants 

 with more or less fleshy leaves; most of them are quite glabrous, 

 Plantago maritima being somewhat hairy at the base of the leaves. 

 Cerastiiim tetrandriim differs most; it is an annual, rather closely 

 covered all over with glandular hairs. All the species, with the ex- 

 ception of Cerastium, are spot-bound, perennial herbs, with 

 a strong deep tap-root, well adapted to enable the plant to 

 maintain a foot-hold in its exposed habitat. 



Examples: 



1. Kvalbo Ej de on Syder 6. The steep coast-cIifFs towards the 

 west have a rich and luxuriant vegetation, the dominant species being: 

 Haloscias, Weissia and Grimmia maritima, I^amalina scopulorum, Pliyscia 

 aquila, Ph. ciliaris, together with Armeria, Plantago maritima, P. corono- 

 pus, Cerastium tetrandum and Cochlearia. 



2. Rock-Iedge near the sea at Bosdalafos on Vaago. Phan- 

 erogams: Haloscias, Matricaria, Plantago maritima, Succisa, Leontodon au- 

 tumnale, Cerastium vulgare, Plantago lanceolata, Angelica silvestris, Sedum 

 rhodiola, Lotus corniculatus carnosus and other herbs, as well as several 

 grasses. The ledge lies a short distance from the sea, and this is evi- 

 dent from the abundance of non-halophilous species. This example illu- 

 strates the transition from the coast-cliff formation to the ledge formation. 



On reviewing what has been said regarding halophile forma- 

 tions, it is clearly evident that only a small and inconspicuous pro- 

 portion of the land-vegetation bears a distinct impress of the pre- 

 sence of the sea. 



The halophyte formations are limited to a narrow restricted 

 belt along the coast; they are poor both as regards individuals and 

 species, and are only halophytic to a limited degree. That the 

 halophytes are thus poorly represented is presumably due to the 

 temperate and extremely moist climate. The downpour on the 

 Færoes is so plentiful and of such frequent occurrence, that the 

 water in sinking downwards washes the soil almost free from the 

 marine-salts and thus renders it habitable for non-halophile piants. 



Piants with pronounced halophytic adaptations belong almost 

 exclusively to the coasts of warmer and drier climates, where in- 

 solation has a greater effect and where the removal of salts from 

 the soil is neither so frequent nor so rapid. In confirmation of 

 this, we find that in the Færoese shore-vegetation it is the species 

 of the sand-strand and the coast- cliffs which exhibit halophile cha- 

 racters most distinctly; these are just the piaces where the sun's 



