200 



the Færoese freshwater algæ-flora seems to be very poor, 

 and he adds, »how relatively poor the freshwater algæ-flora of the 

 Færoes really is in species is still more clearly proved by compa- 

 rison with those of other piaces, e. g. of Nova Zembla, whence no 

 less than 180 species have been reported, though it is mnch farther 

 north«. With regard to this I may remark that the total number 

 including the new species named in this paper is 323, i. e. nearly 

 twice the number of species as reported from Nova Zembla. If 

 we further compare the freshwater algæ of the Færoes known at 

 the present day with those of West Ireland with regard to which 

 West in his paper: »On the Freshwater Algæ of West Ireland« — 

 excepting the Diatoms — reports 487 species, and when we make 

 allowance for the isolated situation and the small area covered 

 by the Færoes it appears to me that the freshwater algæ-flora in 

 the latter place must be cailed proportional ly rich in species, 

 more so, as many more new species of the flora are sure 

 to be found. 



Boldt' s primary work on the spreading of the Desmids in 

 the north ^ shows that this group has several floristic districts, and 

 if we now examine with which of these the freshwater algæ-flora 

 of the Færoes is specially related, we arrive very naturally at the 

 conclusion that it is with that of West Europe and especially with 

 that of Ireland and Scotland. Wille says (1. c. p. 4) that: »the algæ- 

 flora of the Færoes must more particularly be characterized as a 

 poorer part of the English algæ-flora,« and he goes on to sav: »this 

 not only applies to the species themselves, but also to the forms 

 under which they appear and which bear a striking resemblance 

 to the figures we know from English works, e. g. Ralfs's figures of 

 Desmids.« Here I may say that this likeness, it seems to me, appears 

 more clearly now in the discovery of a series of forms, which 

 Wille had not found, e. g. in the large species of Euastrnni, the Mi- 

 crasterias-spec'ies, Xanthidiiim armatiim, several species of Cosmarinm 

 and Staiirastnim and many others which are characteristic not only 

 of the algæ of England, but also of West Europe. Besides these, 

 several species and forms have been found which further prove the 

 near relationship between the freshwater algæ-flora of the Færoes 

 and that of Ireland and Scotland, they having been found and de- 

 scribed in the latter countries, e. g. Staurastriim jacnlifenim West, 



^ Robert Boldt: > Grunddragen af Desmidieernas utbredning i Norden . 

 (Bihang till Svenska Vet. Akad. Handlingar. 13. Afd. III No. 6. Stockholm 1887). 



