THE CONTINENTAL FLORA OF SOUTH SWEDEN 339 



1902 (e.g. pp. -/i, 79, 114, 286); 1910 (lists 47, 128, 172, 192 etc.); Korshinsky 

 1888 (e.g. pp. 104, 105); 1891 etc. 



To what extent these communities have been created by human intervention 

 it is impossible for me to determine. But it would seem to be quite certain that 

 there exist communities of this kind that are entirely natural. 



In Central Europe this type of vegetation is scarcely likely to be found in its 

 genuine form. It seems there to be replaced by more shaded types of forests, 

 especially the beech forest. We may regard as corresponding to it certain moun- 

 tain forests of birch and aspen, and certain forests in which the oak is the domi- 

 nant tree. In the former, however, the ground flora seems to be poorer in herbs 

 and richer in undershrubs; and in the latter there have appeared a number of 

 species belonging to Central or Western Europe. The following references can 

 be given: Hayek 1. c, »Gemischte Laubwalder» (p. 89, in part), »Birkenwalder» 

 (p. 90), »Der siiddeutsche Eichenwald* (p. 104), »Der ostbohmische Eichenwald» 

 (p. 123J; Drude 1896, »Vorholzformation» (p. 312), »Baltisch-hercynischer (Nadel- 

 und) Laub\vald» (j). 314); Drude 1902, »Gemischte Laubholzer und Buschgeholze*, 

 »Untere hercynische Laub- (und Nadel-Meng-) walder» (pp. 135 ff.); Domin I.e., 

 »Lichte, massig feuchte bis halbxerophile Haine» (p. 31). In England the type 

 of vegetation here in view would seem to have something corresponding to it in 

 certain oak forests in which there is no undergrowth of hazel throwing a deep 

 shade (Tansley 1. c, e. g. pp. 123 ff.). 



In the soutJi of Sweden forest types of this kind are widely distributed and 

 play a prominent part in the vegetation. They are of several different kinds, 

 sometimes produced by human intervention, and sometimes quite natural. 



The pre-condition for their existence as natural is a broken topography. It 

 is the slopes with a southerly exposure and the natural forest edges on shores 

 which would seem to be, in the main, their natural abode. 



Through the transforming activity of man on the primeval forest this type of 

 forest has to a large extent been replaced by a forest vegetation with a sparse 

 stock of trees. Through cutting, pasture and haymaking coniferous forests have 

 had to give way over large areas to light birch and aspen forests [y>hagay»)\ 

 and the closed shady foliferous forest {-Alundeny-)) has passed into a park-like mosaic 

 vegetation called fidvlingen-i), composed of small » groves » separated by meadows. 



Space does not permit me to say anything, except with the very greatest 

 brevity, as to the composition of these types of forest and their occurrence in 

 South Sweden. (See Hult 1885; Sernander 1892, pp. 32 ff.; 1900; sigoi a»; 

 »i920 b»; 1922, p. 35; Hesselman 1904; 1905 etc). 



Nearest to the dry, thin, steppe forests of Russia come one or two peculiar 

 types of forest on Oland and Gotland. They occup}- an intermediate position 

 between the vegetation of the Alvar and the closed forest. They appear where 



