288 RIKARD STERNER 



In great parts of South Sweden, above all in the districts where precipitation 

 is plenteous and lime scarce, dry meadows and grass heaths are much less deve- 

 loped than in the cases indicated above. They play a much smaller part in the 

 vegetation. They occur on unshaded hillsides, especially sandy ones exposed 

 towards the south, on oses, moraine hillocks etc. Their existence in these loca- 

 lities, however, is in a high degree caused by the transformation of the natural 

 vegetation brought about by human activity. In most cases the forest would throw 

 shade over the surface of the ground if it were not kept away by the hand of 

 man. As the composition of the flora is greatly dependent on the degree of human 

 influence, and as, besides, the surfaces at the disposal of the communities are 

 often quite inconsiderable, the communities must vary greatly in their composition. 

 The flora has many species fewer than the types mentioned before. South-East 

 European or South European species are lacking, or are very rare. Outside South 

 Sweden these communities would seem to exist chiefly in Engler's Subatlantic 

 province. Hence they may here be styled Subatlantic. 



Between the types thus distinguished there are naturally no sharp boundaries. 

 Yet the Sarmatian sand-grass heath occupies a more isolated position. 



According to these principles I divide the xerophilous herbaceous grass commu- 

 nities of South Sweden into the following five types: 



I. Dry meadows. 



a. Sarmatian dry meadows contain many South-Eastern European or South- 

 Central European species, none of which, however, seems to occur con- 

 stantly. The following species may be mentioned as more pervading 

 characteristic species: Filipendulahexapetala, Fragaria viridis, Galium verum, 

 Helianthemum chamaecistus, Hieracium pilosella, Medicago falcata, Plan- 

 tago lanceolata, Potentilla Tabernaemontani, Avena pratensis, Briza media, 

 Festuca ovina, Phleum Boehmeri, Poa angustifolia, and Hypnum lutescens 

 and sericeum. (See Table i, Appendix II). 



This type is most developed in Oland and Gotland but is also found 

 on the South Swedish mainland where there is little precipitation, especially 

 in the lime districts. 



b. Subatlantic dry meadows. According to analyses, distributed all over South- 

 Eastern Sw^eden from Blekinge up to Gestrikland, the following species 

 within this area are characteristic of the vegetation type: 



Achillea millefolium, Campanula rotundifolia, Galium verum, Heli- 

 anthemum chamaecistus, Hieracium pilosella, Pimpinella saxifraga, 

 Plantago lanceolata, Stellaria graminea, Agrostis tenuis, Festuca ovina, 

 Luzula campestris, and Hylocomium parietinum. (See Table i. Appen- 

 dix II.) 



