aid from the "Japetus Steenstrup Legat” I could continue and verify 
my observations from Nørholm Heath in the summer of 1924 by a 
journey through the dune region along the west coast of Jutland. 
When I had taken my Master's degree in the autumn of 1924, 
thanks to testimonials from my teachers Professors C. Raunkiær, 
L. Kolderup Rosenvinge and C. H. Ostenfeld, I obtained financial 
aid from the Carlsberg Foundation and from Dansk-Islandsk Forbunds- 
fond for phytogeographical researches in Iceland. 
In this work, too, luck befriended me. While making my preparations 
for the journey to Iceland, I was able to attend a course of lectures on 
the vegetation of Greenland given at the University in the spring term 
of 1925 by Professor Ostenfeld. These lectures have been of the 
greatest importance to me, partly during my work in Iceland, and partly 
during the subsequent more thorough treatment of the material. Thus 
‚it is to them I owe the impulse to include in my investigations the 
vegetation under the various depths of snow-covering, my original in- 
tention being only to investigate the vegetation in the various zones of 
moisture. Also the division of the Icelandic flora into species-groups 
according to the geographical distribution of the species, the setting up 
of species group spectra on a parallel with the biological spectra, and 
the application of the species group spectra for a more thorough cha- 
racterisation of the environment, are fruits of these lectures. By these 
investigations the conception of the species as chemical combinations 
has been further confirmed. 
I have regarded the financial aid which rendered possible the re- 
searches described in this treatise as a great mark of confidence and, to 
the best of my ability, I have endeavoured not to disappoint the trust 
placed in me. Through this work I beg the Trustees of the Carlsberg 
Foundation and the Trustees of the Dansk-Islandsk Forbundsfond to 
accept my respectful thanks. Finally I owe thanks to Miss Annie 
I. Fausböll, M.A., who has undertaken the difficult task of the Eng- 
lish translation. 
Copenhagen, June 1928. 
