THE CONTINENTAL FLORA OF SOUTH SWEDEN 293 



philous Stipa or the sand steppes in Pontic regions, are in South Sweden chiefly 

 found in more xerophilous herbaceous communities, in grass heaths or in a sparse, 

 more or less colony-Uke vegetation, attached to them, and the species of the 

 Pontic meadow steppe belong chiefly to the less xerophilous, closed dry meadows. 



Sarviatiaii psaininophilous species. It would seem most suitable to mention in 

 this connection also the species which, not occurring in South-Eastern European 

 steppe districts, have a great distribution in the Sarmatian province, where they 

 belong to the above-mentioned herbaceous sand-grass heaths. As a matter of fact, 

 these species completely resemble certain sandsteppe species with regard to their 

 mode of occurrence in South Sweden. 



The species in question are Astragalus arenarius, Diantlms arenarius, Gypsophila 

 fastigiaia, Pulsatilla pratensis, and, probably Potcntilla leucopolitana P. J. Miill. 

 Of these species the three first mentioned belong in South Sweden solely or 

 chiefly to the Sarmatian sand-grass heaths (see the analyses from Skane in Table 

 3; cf. Samuelsson 1910, p. 35, and Sterner 1921, p. 202). Gypsophila forms an 

 exception, in so far as on Oland and Gotland it forms part of the above-men- 

 tioned lichen heaths on the Alvar. Pulsatilla pratensis occurs in Smaland, Oster- 

 gotland, Sodermanland, and Uppland in dry meadows or hillsides-grass heaths. 

 Potentilla leucopolitana occurs on Oland, where it is rather common, chiefly on 

 roadsides, sandy fallow fields etc. Its natural habitats are dry meadows (or, rarely, 

 herb or grass heaths) on sandy soil. 



It should be pointed out that Festuca sabulosa (Ands.) Lindb. fil., which is an 

 important leading species in south-eastern Swedish sand-grass heaths, is as yet 

 very imperfectly known as to its distribution outside the limits of Scandinavia. 

 It seems to me to be a foregone conclusion that its distribution is similar to that 

 of the said Sarmatian species. 



In this connection a few words also may be mentioned about another trait of 

 character in the mode of occurrence of steppe species outside the steppe districts. 



The dispersal of steppe species is in a high degree favoured by the activity 

 of man. In this way many artificial habitats suitable for steppe species have been 

 created. 



In the arable districts of Central Russia a considerable number of steppe species 

 occur as weeds or as colonists. In Central Europe and South Scandinavia steppe 

 species together with Oriental and Mediterranean species form the principal part 

 of the more xerothermic AntJiropocJiores. South Swedish species of this kind may 

 be exemplified as follows: Anchusa officinalis, Anthemis tinctoria, Centaurea scabiosa. 



