Ruderals and weeds in Godby, Åland Islands, SW Finland

Authors

• Carl-Adam Hæggström
• Eeva Hæggström

Abstract

The Åland Islands in SW Finland are known for their luxuriant vegetation with numerous calciphilic vascular plants. Ruderal plants are rather few compared to the adjoining regions of Finland and Sweden. However, new ruderal plants are occasionally found in Åland. We came across a ruderal site in the centre of the village of Godby, municipality of Finström, in 2002. Most of the organic topsoil had been removed and several rare ruderal species grew then on the open ruderal site. The site became more closed, resembling a meadow rather than a ruderal ground already in 2006 and later the vegetation developed into a tall and rough grown meadow with some shrubs and young trees. The following ruderal plants are treated more in detail: Agrostemma githago, Anthemis tinctoria, Centaurea cyanus, Cichorium intybus, Dianthus deltoides (cultivar), Echium vulgare, Holcus lanatus, Leontodon hispidus, Lotus corniculatus var. sativus, Papaver dubium subsp. dubium, P. rhoeas, Phleum phleoides, Rumex thyrsiflorus, Senecio jacobaea, Thymus pulegioides, Trifolium dubium and Vicia tenuifolia. Besides some trees and shrubs, 133 vascular plant taxa, most of them common in the Åland Islands, were observed growing in the ruderal site during the period 2002–2015. The origin of the ruderal flora is not known. It is suggested that at least some of the plants have originated from seeds in the former cultivated field. A deliberate sowing of flower seeds of foreign provenance cannot, however, be excluded, although we have not been able to prove it.