Inledning

General remarks

In 1950 Eric Hultén published Atlas över växternas utbredning i Norden (Atlas of the Distribution of Vascular Plants in NW. Europe). A revised edition was issued in 1971, comprising in all 1930 distribution maps. (In the text of the present work it is abbreviated Hultén, Atlas 1971.) This atlas was followed by a wide-ranging project aiming at a presentation of the total distribution of the North European vascular plants.

According to this plan Hultén began with The Amphi-atlantic Plants, published in 1958 (reprinted in 1973) in Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens handlingar, 4th ser., vol. 7, no. 1. This work contains 278 distribution maps. (In the present work it is abbreviated Hultén, Amphi-atl.)

The next issue in this project was The Circumpolar Plants, part I in 1962 (reprinted in 1964) and part II in 1971, both volumes in the series cited above, vol. 8, no. 5, and vol. 13, no. 1, respectively. They contain together 529 maps. (In the present work they are abbreviated Hultén, Circumpol. I/II)

However, the extensive project mentioned above was further developed. A considerable amount of distributional data was compiled and recorded on maps, in all 1936 in number. In these the above-mentioned amphi-atlantic and circumpolar plant maps were included. They have later been revised and completed by the editor. The selection of the mapped taxa was made by Hultén. Many of the 1936 maps presented in this work show the distribution of one or more taxa besides the taxon for which the map is elaborated. Altogether about 4500 plant taxa are treated, either on the maps or in the text of the present work.

All maps are elaborated in the traditional manner with exact indication of the occurrences when possible (by dots or equal signs). Limiting lines and hatching have been used in cases where only general information has been obtained or considered to be sufficient. Thus, the mapping is not adapted to a grid system with squares, often used in modern works, especially in fairly well explored areas, e.g. in Perring & Walters, Atlas of the British Flora (1962).

The maps are arranged in taxonomic order. Thus, no attempt has been made to group the maps phytogeographically, as Hultén did in the amphi-atlantic and circumpolar works.

Regrettably Hultén was not able to fulfil this comprehensive project. Prolonged illness and finally decease (in 1981) resulted in a standstill of the work. In this situation I was asked by the head of the Section of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natura! History, Professor Rolf Santesson, to try to complete the project.

A procedure was arranged so that (1) the maps were examined, completed, and corrected if necessary, and (2) comments were added to elucidate the maps. Consequently, the aim was to publish two parts, one part (in two volumes) with the 1936 maps and another part with explanatory text.

In a work of this kind problems in taking position on taxonomic questions often arise. In this case the intention has been to follow the taxonomic conception of Hultén, as far as it is shown in his notes and drafts of maps or earlier publications. However, in some cases the nomenclature has been adapted to the results of modern taxonomic treatment presented in, for instance, Flora Europaea, vol. 1-5 (1964-80). In order to avoid misunderstanding selected synonyms are inserted in the commentary text.

Incompleteness and inconsiderateness are always inherent in works of this kind. Some taxa or groups of taxa are better known geographically than others. Some areas are more thoroughly studied than others. This may easily be shown. Further, the editor is aware of the incompleteness concerning the distribution of the anthropochorous plants, especially outside Europe. The information of occurrences outside the map area, which is indicated with notes in the margin of the map, is certainly incomplete. This information is, however, less important for the scope of the present work.

The sources for the information on plant distribution are on the whole the same as those used by Hultén for the amphi-atlantic and circumpolar works (cf. the comprehensive bibliographies given there). Thus, no full bibliography is given in the present work; only a few selected works are mentioned (see below). The accession of further material consists of information gathered from modern floras and phytogeographical monographs or papers. These are generally referred to in the text of the present work.

In this connection the following two outstanding works with distribution maps must be mentioned first of all: Atlas Florae Europaeae (five volumes up to 1984) and Meusel, Jäger, Rauschert & Weinert, Vergleichende Chorologie der Zentraleuropäischen Flora. Karten. Vol. 1 (1965), vol. 2 (1978). Fischer/Jena.

The two voluminous floras, Flora of the U.S.S.R. and Hegi's Illustrierte Flora von Mittel-Europa, are mines of information.

In addition, a great many more or less local floras and floristic notes are used, of course. It must be admitted, however, that sources of this type of information may occasionally have been overlooked. For the total view of distribution such an inadvertence is generally of less importance.

It must be added that Hultén, knowing the Russian language, had an exceptional advantage to follow the Russian plant-geographical literature (up to about 1976). For that reason, the presentation of the plant distributions in the vast Russian and Siberian areas should be as complete as the circumstances allow. Nevertheless, there are in several cases considerable discrepances between the map pictures of these areas and, for instance, North and Central Europe and even North America. Problems of this kind are dealt with in Hulten's work The Amphi-atlantic Plants, p. 6 f.

 

Special remarks

The concept North Europe includes in the present work not only Norden, i.e. the Nordic countries and the Archean rock area close to the east, but also northern Russia and the Baltic states and, in special cases, northernmost Germany and Poland and the British Isles. This means that the plant species dealt with here are, with some additions, the same species mapped in Hultén's Atlas of the Distribution of Vascular Plants in Northwestern Europe (1950, 1971).

Most floras do not present maps of individual species. General information of distribution is instead given in the text, as state, province, district etc. In such cases, especially when the mentioned area is rather wide, an occurrence is marked on the present maps by an oval loop. In some areas, for instance in Central Asia, these loops are necessarily drawn in a very generalized manner. Further occurrences outside the map area are recorded by geographic names given in the margin of the map.

In dealing with distribution maps authors have acted in different ways in emphasizing limits of special significance. Some authors draw limiting lines in more or less detail around the distribution marked by dots. This manner is used on several maps in Hulten's earlier works mentioned above. I have followed this plan, although with some restriction.

The technical procedure of mapping has been carried out over a long time (about a decade), which has led to minor graphic deviations. The manner of presentation is, however, consistent through the whole work/atlas.

As many maps also include, besides the species in question, one or more related taxa, the occurrences of these are generally marked by separate lines or symbols. All taxa recorded on the maps and dealt with in the text are listed in the index at the end of the text volume.

 

Acknowledgments

A project of this kind cannot be performed without assistance in several respects, scientific as well as technical.

The head of the Section of Botany (now Phanerogamic Botany), Swedish Museum of Natura! History, Professor Rolf Santesson and his successor Professor Bertil Nordenstam, have generously provided institutional facilities and given the most experienced scientific advice.

It has of course been necessary to obtain information about different taxa or groups of taxa from specialists. Several scientists, too many to be mentioned here, have offered their particular knowledge. However, their contributions are generally given in the text.

Like Eric Hulten, I have had the opportunity to consult Mr. Olof Hedbom, the Swedish master of cartography, concerning the elaboration of the maps. He generously carried out the revision of the maps and encouraged in many ways the promotion of the entire work.

The detailed drawing of the maps was skilfully performed by Kerstin Wihlborg, Ingrid Wikander, Bo Bergman, and Dan Butoi. Much of the typing of the text manuscript was perfectly carried out by Henny Björkholm, and most of the text was linguistically examined by Christina Martinsson.

To all these persons and many others, colleagues and friends, my sincere thanks.

Finally, I have the pleasure to announce my gratitude towards the Swedish Natura! Science Research Council, which provided the basic grant for the publication of this work.

Stockholm, October 1985, Magnus Fries