THE HISTORY OF THE FLORA OF THE FÆROES. 



BY 



EUG. WARMING. 



Al the above notes by Ostenfeld, C.Jensen, Børgesen, etc., 

 regarding the relationship of the Færoese Flora 1 , show, with 

 one accord that the Flora of the Færoes is Temperale-European, 

 and Atlantic with a touch of Arctic, viz. on the higher mountains, 

 and more particularly on the Nordreoer. O sten fe Id' s investiga- 

 tions (pp. 100 — 119) prove that the flora of the Færoes, as regards 

 the uascular piants is somewhat more Arctic than that of Great Bri- 

 tain, somewhat more Atlantic than that of Norway and much more 

 Atlantic and Temperate than that of Iceland; at the bottom of p. 111 

 he says, that the flora of the Færoes must be regarded as »most 

 closely related to the northern part of Great Britain«; and on p. 115 

 »the flora bears a wonderful resemblance to that of Scotland.« 



The Hieracia, which have been treated separately by Dahls tedt 

 (p. 625), ought more especially to be mentioned liere. As is well- 

 known, the genus is in full development and »is the European 

 plant-genus which is richest in forms«. According to Dahlstedl 

 the 23 forms (21 species and 2 varieties) which are at the present 

 time known for certain to occur in the Færoes, are all endemic, 

 though they are often very closely related to forms in the sur- 

 rounding countries. The following are the results he arrives at: — 

 The greater part of the forms are Atlantic, viz. 14 (perhaps 10) 

 forms; 5 (perhaps 7) are Temperate-European ; and 2 are Arctic-Alpine. 



C. Jensen's investigations regarding the Mosses show, thai the 

 Færoes possess the greater part of their species in common with 

 Great Britain, somewhat fewer with Norway — the difference is slighl ; 

 but, on the other band, they have very few in common with Ice- 

 land and North America (pp. 186—196). The Færoes come nearesl 

 lo Scotland with regard to the percenlage of Alpine-Arctic and At- 



1 Botany of the Færoes, based upon Danish investigations. I. Copenhagen. 11)01. 



