350 RIKARD STERNER 



pendent on the precipitation conditions and the topography. In Smaland at least 

 these causes must be of great importance. It seems to me, however, not impossible 

 that the spreading of the species in South Sweden is not yet finished. The 

 peculiar, isolated occurrences on the southern coast of Norway and the total 

 absence of the species in the neighbourhood of Christiania and in northern Jut- 

 land, may also be irregularities in the distribution, that might hint at an as yet 

 unfinished spreading (cf. above Vicia cassubica). 



The decidedly continental Melantpyruni 7iemorosuni (see Plate lo) is in the 

 south-east of Sweden, as in large parts of the east of Middle Europe, a species 

 highly characteristic of more or less thin rather mesophilous foliferous forests of 

 different kinds. In lists of species from Central Russia it is one of those which 

 most frequently recur. Its area of distribution in Sweden, as appears from Plate 8, 

 even lies somewhat more to the east than that of Laserpitium. Nevertheless it 

 comprises the west of Skane and from there forms a distinct West-Scandinavian 

 extension through Zealand and the north-east of Jutland. 



The distribution of Melampyrum nemorosum in the south-east of Sweden is 

 of great interest. 



In certain skerries on the south-east coast of Sweden Melampyrum nemorosum 

 is pretty common. The gaps in the distribution would seem to be partly ex- 

 plicable by the fact that suitable localities are lacking, or at any rate are rare, 

 in certain districts, e. g. amongst the rocky skerries of northern Smaland. 



On the mainland the species appears more or less abundantly in some districts 

 within the skerries. In the most south-easterly part of Smaland, south of Kalmar, 

 for instance, where there are no skerries, this species is entirely absent. [Cf. Agri- 

 monia eupatoria (p. 344) and Geranium sanguineum (p. 345)]. 



Occurrences on the mainland are usually found on the banks of watercourses, 

 lakes or marshlands. From the coast of Blekinge the species stretches up through 

 the river valleys into the south of Smaland, where it has a number of occurrences 

 near some lakes. 



In Ostergotland, Sodermanland, and also, though not so distinctly, in Upp- 

 land, the occurrences that lie furthest inland are isolated from the more abundant 

 distribution on the coast. In Sodermanland Melampyrum is abundant along the 

 coast. Apart from this it is lacking in the province, in spite of the great number 

 of lake-shores except in the extreme west. In Ostergotland we find a similar 

 state of things. Here the distribution is peculiar for another reason too. Within 

 the most westerly occurrences, and at a higher altitude above sea-level than they 

 have, there are numerous localities which seem to be quite suitable, but of which 

 the species has made no use. 



In Uppland, from which province very copious material has been very kindly 

 placed at my disposal by Mr. Erik Almquist, Phil. Mag., I have been able to 



