Icelandic Flora

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Plant Life is Poorly Developed

•  Iceland spent the last ice age under a glacier •  Only 470 species of higher plants United States: 19473

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Deforestation •  Before Humans: 1/3 birch wood •  Today: 1% birch woods: erosion

Downy Birch:

Only tree native to Iceland

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Battle With Erosion

Lyme Grass The main plant on windblown sands Intense root system binds the sand to prevent erosion Especially useful in highlands

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Nootka Lupine Not native Grows well in loose soil Can create monoculters

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Flowers We May See

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Mountain Avens: gravel plains, peat lands

Harebell: woodlands, East Iceland

Bog Violet: moorlands

Arctic River-beauty: riverbanks

National Flower!

Many Desert-like Regions

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Mountain Screes Volcanic Activity

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Much of the landscape not friendly to plantlife

Mountain Screes: course pebbles, steep

Volcanic activity: ashes lack minerals, poor water retention

Only the hardiest survive!

Moss Campion

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Grows on hills and gravel plains

One deep root

Rocks and Ashes Tufted Saxifrage: Wherever rocks are present

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Sea Campion: Grows on sandy ashes

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