The first attempt to list the archaeophytes of Iceland

Abstract

This article presents for the first time a list of the possible archaeophytes from Iceland. In the present study, all the flowering plant taxa that are considered native/long established in Iceland were assessed against criteria designed to recognize possible archaeophytes. The assessment resulted in a list of 39 taxa meeting (or possibly meeting) at least one research criterion. Nineteen taxa were classified as possible archaeophytes, 10 were classified as non-natives of unknown age (due to the inability to classify them as neither archaeophytes nor neophytes using the available data), while the remaining 10 species were classified as uncertain (doubtfully native). The limitations of the present study in terms of both the methodology and the uncertainties connected with the classification of individual taxa are discussed.

Keywords

• Iceland
• archaeophytes
• neophytes
• flora
• Arctic, subarctic