954 



nn. Nardus facies. 



/?/?. Juncus-squarrosus facies. 



yy. Scirpus-caespitosus facies. 



Il is just possible that Ihere may be a slight difference between 

 these three piants in relation lo the water-content; if so, Nardus 

 must be regarded as tlie least water-loving (or water-enduring). It is 

 noteworthy Ihat all three are lufled piants, — the short horizontal 

 rhizome of Nardiis seems to me to be unimporlant as an adaptalion 

 for wandering. 



The appearance of the grass-moor is generally rather variegated 

 by the presence of many »flowering« herbs which break the 

 monotons green of the grass-like planls. Some of the commoner 

 species are: Potentilla erecta, Pohjgaln serpijllacea, Siiccisa, Pingiii- 

 ciila, Viola palnstris, Raniincnlus flammiila, Galiiim sa.vatile, Eiiphrasia 

 minima, etc. 



The following Glumiflorae are common in add ilion to the 

 three »character-grasses« : Anthoxanthum, Luzula multiflora, Carex 

 pilulifera, C. bineruis. Agrostis viilgaris, A. canina, Festiica ovina, etc. 



Mosses form a distincl feature of the ground- vegetation of a 

 grass-moor; they occur in large numbers and many species are re- 

 presented, the following being the more conspicuous: Hylocomia 

 (H. loreiim, H. proliferiim, H. squarrosiim and H. parietinum), Ste- 

 reodon ericetoriim, Isotheciiim tenuinerue, Thyidiiim tamariscifolium, 

 Breiitelia chrysocoma, etc, and amongst olhers the ever-recurring 

 Grimmia /j{//?noiV/es is sometimes abundant. In C. Jensen's account 

 of his journey (1897) more detailed descriplions are given of the 

 moss-vegetation from many localities represenlalive of this wide- 

 spread and multifarious plant-association. 



The surface of the soil beneath the higher planls is sometimes 

 bare except for a purpie fdm of the alga Zygogonium ericetorum; 

 these spots have probably been flooded in spring. 



The grass-moor is, I should say, the Færoese plant-association 

 which receives the greatest prominence in the account of my tra- 

 vels, being referred to again and again, sometimes in its typical 

 form, at other times in one of its diverse transition-forms leading 

 to the Grimmia heath. The reason why I have dwelt on it so 

 strongly is that the association is so widely distributed and so im- 

 portant from the economic point of view. The piants of this as- 

 sociation form the bulk of the food-supply of the sheep, the prin- 

 cipal domestic animal of the Færoes. 



