ALBERT

Description: From a bryological point of view Greenland is not well known in detail. Unlike Siberia or Arctic America, it is not known through a few large collections, but through multitudes of mostly relatively small gatherings. In this arctic island that is almost 2000 miles long and extends from below 60° N.lat. to nearly 84° N.lat., travel and logistics are difficult. Consequently no over-all study of the whole island has been made, although many collections have been achieved through casual or intensive studies of small areas. Like the other contributions to the knowledge of the bryoflora of Greenland this paper will only deal with a rather limited area; the Angmagssalik district on the East coast of Greenland, ranging from 65° N.lat. to 67°20' N.lat. In 1887 Lange and Jensen published the first and until now the only comprehensive review of specimens and publications on the Musci of Greenland. In their paper the first moss collection from the Angmagssalik area was reported, made in 1884-1885 in the course of ethnographical studies by Gustav Holm (Sphagnum girgensohnii and Polytrichum juniperinum), the first European to visit this part of East Greenland.

Description: Dicranella riparia (H. Lindb.) Mårt. & Nyh. is reported for the first time from Greenland, where it was found on a fluvioglacial delta in the Angmagssalik District in plant communities belonging to the association Calamagrosto-Ditrichetum (all. Calamagrostion neglectae). This is the sixth locality known, and the first outside Fennoscandia.

Description: Tetraplodon mnioides (Hedw.) B.S.G. is recorded from the Netherlands for the first time. The occurrence in the lowland of the northwestern european continent of this species and the related Splachnum ampullaceum Hedw., which occurred in the Netherlands in former times, is briefly outlined on the basis of records in literature. Consequently three areas in the Netherlands are indicated where these interesting nitrophilous Splachnaceae may possibly be discovered or rediscovered.

Description: Selaginella selaginoides, Arabis arenicola, and Gentiana amarella are recorded as species new to the Angmagssalik district. Other species, formerly only known from single localities, are reported from new localities. Descriptions are given of the habitats in which the species were found.

Description: Bryum rubens Mitt. is reported for the first time from the Netherlands. The species was found growing in abundance in two localities, situated in the central and eastern part of the country.

Description: The present study deals with a part of the results of observations made during expeditions in 1968 and 1969 to the Angmagssalik District, the central and largest deglaciated area on the Southeast coast of Greenland; which journeys were preceded by a reconaissance in 1966. The Angmagssalik District is a very mountainous area deeply cut by numerous fjords, and has a pronounced oceanic low-arctic climate. Its general physiography has no broad beaches and wide saline deltas where such extensive, luxuriant and very diversified littoral vegetation as those known from southern latitudes might develop. However, well-developed small stands are locally common in suitable, sheltered habitats and represent several clearly distinguishable vegetation types. The occurrence and the composition of the littoral plant communities appear to depend on the physiography of the littoral, the climate, the properties of the open water, the substrate, and of course also on phytogeographical and historical factors. Although the environmental factors have not been studied in great detail, they are dealt with rather thoroughly, since they are in many respects different from conditions prevailing at lower latitudes as, for example, in the intensively studied western and southern parts Europe. The littoral communities were described and classified according to the principles of the Zürich-Montpellier school. Two exclusive arctic and subarctic groups of communities are represented in the area, viz. the order Carici-Puccinellietalia and the order Honckenyo-Elymetalia arenarii. The first comprises salt marsh communities which are mainly restricted to the lower beach and sandy to silty substrates, the second is chiefly confined to the upper part of coarse sandy to stony beaches in more exposed conditions. A comparative study of the Carici-Puccinellietalia has led to a revision of the syntaxon, and shows that the associations grouped in this order form for the greater part pairs of vicarious, exclusively arctic and subarctic units at least in the northern Atlantic area. These pairs are differentiated by the absence or presence of a group of widely spread boreal taxa of which the common northern area limit coincides with the boundary between the arctic and subarctic regions, so that their areas are pararegional with respect to the area of the order and its two alliances. All six associations of the Carici-Puccinellietalia are represented in the investigated area. Those of the Puccinellion phryganodis, which comprise the syntaxa that are as a rule confined to sheltered habitats on the lowest part of the beach in clayey to silty, sandy substrates poor in humus, are represented by lower units, except for the provisional new association Sagino-Phippsietum algidae. Those of the Caricion glareosae, which comprise the syntaxa restricted commonly to somewhat less sheltered habitats on the higher part of the lower beach in coarse, sandy, superficially strongly humic to peaty substrates, are represented by all known units. The Honckenyo-Elymetalia arenarii is represented by two sociations, which are presumably local, impoverished representatives of the territorial Greenlandic association Honckenyo diffusae-Elymetum mollis or the widely spread, subarctic to arctic Honckenyo diffusae-Elymetum arenarii. The results of the reclassification of the units of the Carici-Puccinellietalia in the northern Atlantic are summerized in a separate survey. J. G. de Molenaar Botanical Museum and Herbarium of the State University Transitorium II Heidelberglaan 2, »De Uithof« Utrecht Netherlands

Description: As delimited by Polunin (1951), the Arctic is situated on the Northern hemisphere North of (1) a line 50 miles North of the coniferous forest line, (2) the Northern limit of microphanerophytic growth, or (3) the Nordenskjöld line, according to the formula V = 9-0,1K. According to this delimination the whole of Greenland belongs to the arctic region. Within the Arctic a subdivision in low- and high-arctic regions is usually recognized. Larsen (1960) marks this transition on the East coast of Greenland near Cape Dalton. Low-arctic East Greenland thus stretches from 60° to 69°30' N. lat. The Angmagssalik area in Southeast Greenland ranges from circa 65° to 67°20' N. lat. Between the Sermilik and the Kangerdlugssuatsiak fjords to the West and East, Denmark Strait to the South and the extensive nunatak area Schweitzerland, merging into the central Greenland ice-cap to the North, the Angmagssalik area in stricter sense (35°45' – 38° W. long., 65°30'-66°20' N. lat.) is the largest ice-free region of low-arctic East Greenland and must therefore, and for its isolated and central situation, be regarded as highly representative.

Description: The present study deals with a part of the results of observations made during expeditions in 1968 and 1969 to the Angmagssalik District, the central and largest deglaciated area on the Southeast coast of Greenland; which journeys were preceded by a reconaissance in 1966.\nThe Angmagssalik District is a very mountainous area deeply cut by numerous fjords, and has a pronounced oceanic low-arctic climate. Its general physiography has no broad beaches and wide saline deltas where such extensive, luxuriant and very diversified littoral vegetation as those known from southern latitudes might develop. However, well-developed small stands are locally common in suitable, sheltered habitats and represent several clearly distinguishable vegetation types.\nThe occurrence and the composition of the littoral plant communities appear to depend on the physiography of the littoral, the climate, the properties of the open water, the substrate, and of course also on phytogeographical and historical factors. Although the environmental factors have not been studied in great detail, they are dealt with rather thoroughly, since they are in many respects different from conditions prevailing at lower latitudes as, for example, in the intensively studied western and southern parts Europe.\nThe littoral communities were described and classified according to the principles of the Z\xc3\xbcrich-Montpellier school.\nTwo exclusive arctic and subarctic groups of communities are represented in the area, viz. the order Carici-Puccinellietalia and the order Honckenyo-Elymetalia arenarii. The first comprises salt marsh communities which are mainly restricted to the lower beach and sandy to silty substrates, the second is chiefly confined to the upper part of coarse sandy to stony beaches in more exposed conditions.\nA comparative study of the Carici-Puccinellietalia has led to a revision of the syntaxon, and shows that the associations grouped in this order form for the greater part pairs of vicarious, exclusively arctic and subarctic units at least in the northern Atlantic area. These pairs are differentiated by the absence or presence of a group of widely spread boreal taxa of which the common northern area limit coincides with the boundary between the arctic and subarctic regions, so that their areas are pararegional with respect to the area of the order and its two alliances.\nAll six associations of the Carici-Puccinellietalia are represented in the investigated area. Those of the Puccinellion phryganodis, which comprise the syntaxa that are as a rule confined to sheltered habitats on the lowest part of the beach in clayey to silty, sandy substrates poor in humus, are represented by lower units, except for the provisional new association Sagino-Phippsietum algidae. Those of the Caricion glareosae, which comprise the syntaxa restricted commonly to somewhat less sheltered habitats on the higher part of the lower beach in coarse, sandy, superficially strongly humic to peaty substrates, are represented by all known units. The Honckenyo-Elymetalia arenarii is represented by two sociations, which are presumably local, impoverished representatives of the territorial Greenlandic association Honckenyo diffusae-Elymetum mollis or the widely spread, subarctic to arctic Honckenyo diffusae-Elymetum arenarii. The results of the reclassification of the units of the Carici-Puccinellietalia in the northern Atlantic are summerized in a separate survey. J. G. de Molenaar Botanical Museum and Herbarium of the State University Transitorium II Heidelberglaan 2, \xc2\xbbDe Uithof\xc2\xab Utrecht Netherlands

Description: Bryum rubens Mitt. is reported for the first time from the Netherlands. The species was found growing in abundance in two localities, situated in the central and eastern part of the country.

Description: Selaginella selaginoides, Arabis arenicola, and Gentiana amarella are recorded as species new to the Angmagssalik district. Other species, formerly only known from single localities, are reported from new localities. Descriptions are given of the habitats in which the species were found.