962 



that tilis vegelnlion niight be regarded as a transition to the grass- 

 slopes. Its position mav be taken as aboul mid-way between the 

 heath and the grass-slope, and it niiglit perhaps be legarded as a 

 separate plant association. In one respect it is more closely related 

 to the heath, in that its soil is to some extent humous, whereas 

 the grass-slope prefers a loamy soil. On the other hånd, the do- 

 minant species are very much those of the grass-slope, hence it is 

 easier and more correct to use these as distinguishing marks, rather 

 than the soii-conditions, and consequcntly to consider this as an 

 association of the grass-slope formation. The faet of our being thus 

 uncertain where the limit should be drawn will indicate clearly 

 how very gradual the transitions are. 



i. The grass-slope formation. 



The term »grass-slope« (Græsli) is used here to indicate a plant- 

 formation where grasses are the dominant piants (i. e. a pasture), 

 and which occurs on a moderately moist soil, generally with a slop- 

 ing surface; the soil in most cases is loam or mould, but it may 

 be more or less humous. 



H. Jonsson in his studies on the Icelandic vegetation has 

 given a rather detailed account of this formalion and its nearest 

 allies. His descriptions harmonise well with those of the grass- 

 slope formation found on the Færoes; this is especially the case 

 with the South-Icelandic grass-slope (Jonsson 1905, pp. 36 — 40) 

 which has evidently much the same composition as the Færoese. 

 He enumerates 10 dominant species, of which Agrostis imlgaris, 

 Anthoxanthiim, Festiica ovina, Brunella vulgaris and Leontodon are 

 equally characteristic for the Færoese grass-slope; the remaining 

 5 also occur, although Trifoliiim repens, Geranium silvaticum and 

 Poa alpina do not entirely belong to this formation on the Færoes. 



The grass-slope is met with on the Færoes in similar piaces 

 to those on Iceland, that is on the lower and middle parts of the 

 mountain slopes, and more rarely in the upper zone, provided 

 that the conditions are such as will permit water to flow away 

 rather rapidly, hence a rather steep slope; the soil must also be 

 stable, and not too often disturbed by falling earth and rocks. 



In the lower region, this formation occurs most frequently on 

 slopes exposed to the north, and as already explained, a southerly 

 exposure promotes heath (heather-moor), if the slope is not too steep. 



