PREFACE. 



A few words are necessary to explain, why a Norwet^ian botanist, wlio miirht seem to iiavc 

 plenty of work before him in his own country, has undertaken to write a copious book on the veo-etation 

 of Cyprus. 



During my studies on the phytoyeography of Norway 1 had received a stronti' impression of to what 

 extent the Glacial epoch has been of consequence for the histoi'y of development of the Norwegian vege- 

 tation. Everywhere in the vegetation of our country, under the most varying forms, we meet with un- 

 mistakeable proofs of the predominant influence of the Glacial epoch. 



I was, therefore, highly desirous of obtaining an opportunity to study the vegetation of a country, 

 where there has been no Glacial epoch : I wished to compare the conditions of such a country with those of 

 my own. Above all I wished to learn to know the vegetation of the Levant, fi'om which region the 

 Scandinavian flora has once received an important element. My teacher. Prof. Dr. N. Wii.le, met ray 

 plan with the warmest interest, and it is in the first place due to him that I was enabled to I'ealise it. 

 Through his recommendations I received from the University at Christiania the necessary pecuniary sup- 

 port for the voyage to the Levant, as well as later on for the working of my material at foreign museums. 



I considered it to be most suitable to the purpose to use the short time and the restricted means. 

 which were at my disposal, to study as thoroughly as possible the vegetation of a not too large, naturally 

 demarkated area. I hoped thus to have the chance of getting fairly well acquainted with the country 

 chosen, and even to be able to increase to some extent the knowledge of its vegetation. 



After having taken into consideration the various possibilities, and after having asked advice of 

 the eminent authority on the flora of the Mediterranean Prof. Dr. Sv. Murbeck in Lund, I made up my 

 mind to choose the island of Cyprus as the field of my investigations. This island has an advantageous 

 situation and is of a convenient size; it has a diversified nature with high mountains as well as low plains, 

 and besides, judging from the literature at hand, it was in floristical respect quite insufficiently investigated. 



My voyage was started on the 10th of January, 1905, and in the middle of October the same 

 year 1 was back in Christiania. The stay on Cyprus lasted from the .3rd of March to the 1st of October. 

 During my stay on the island 1 was met with the greatest kindness and readiness to give any assistance 

 both by the public authorities and by numerous private gentlemen. Above all I am indebted to the High 

 Commissioner Sir Chaeles A. King-Harman and to the Principal Forest Officer, Mr. A. K. Bovill, as 

 well as to the late consul for Norway and Sweden, Mr. Z. D. Pieeides in Larnaka and his son Mr. 

 Luke Pieeides, who is at present Swedish consul. 



