302 RIKARD STERNER 



The largest os in eastern Smaland is the so-called -^Hogsby as». This can be 

 followed from the country about Granna down to the Straits of Kalmar at 

 Pataholm. In the upper Ema valley from the neighbourhood of Vetlanda to 

 Malilla, it partly fills the valley, and the Ema river has carved its way down 

 through the sand and gravel deposits, giving rise to southerly exposed slopes 

 on its northern bank. From the parish of Virserum down to the coast the os 

 is generally sharply formed with a high ridge. 



Several oses run from central Smaland in a due soiitJierly direction down to 

 the coast of Blekinge. The most important of these oses begins at Lake 

 Orken on the border between the counties of Kronoberg and Jonkoping. It is 

 here for a short distance powerfully formed (note the manor name of -DBradsr), 

 but afterwards it is inconsiderable down to southernmost Smaland, from where 

 it follows the valley of the Ronneby river and sometimes reaches a considerable 

 magnitude. 



The oses are of great consequence with regard to the flora of eastern Sma- 

 land. There are not a few species that have their occurrences within the district 

 solely on them. On the dry and warm southern slopes, composed of sand 

 or fine gravel, there are very suitable localities for xerothermous heliophilous 

 species. 



To a great extent, however, this is possible only in consequence of human 

 action. The os vegetation probably belongs to the sections that were first exposed 

 to human influences. The oses have formed an important route of communica- 

 tion, ever since there has been anything of the kind, and the first colonization 

 evidently took place on or at them. Certain os sections, however, would, even 

 without the help of human intervention, have been able to form a place of abode 

 for the said species. 



The natural vegetation on the osslopes seems to be coniferous forests. On 

 the steeper, more southerly exposed slopes there is a sparse pine forest with a 

 ground vegetation of chiefly mealberry and cowberry. In such places there is 

 often no cover of mosses or lichens. Nor is the surface of the ground covered by 

 the fallen needles; they seem to be to a great extent washed away by heavy showers. 



On the above mentioned »Brads» at Drettinge in the parish of Dadesjo I have 

 (14. VII. 1920) noticed on the slope a vegetation such as I imagine that an os 

 vegetation must have been in its original state. The os is here very substantial. 

 Its height above the surface of the drained Lake Drettingen seems to amount 

 to about 25 metres. The degree of inclination of the slopes is great, about 20°. 

 The soil of the ground surface consists of small gravel. The ridge runs from 

 NNW to SSE. The eastern slope is occupied by Hylocomium-coniferous-forest. 

 On the western slope the forest had been cut down quite recently (in the prece- 

 ding winter.^). It had consisted of comparatively sparse Scotch pines and a few 



