Borovichev E.A. Botanical excursion on the Northern Soroya. Hammerfest, 2014.

.Ѵ іг / 4 # Щ р Г Photo N. Koroleva Moss Campion (Silene acaulis) canform dense cushions up to afew decimeters in diameter, it usually has pinkflowers and very rarely they are white. Some plants o fMoss Campion were recorded to be 75-100 years old, the oldest known individual reached the age o f350years beingjust 2feet in diameter good indicator of snow depth. Some lower-alpine dwarf shrubs have delicious and vitamin-rich berries, which were o f great importance for the daily life o f native people. Blueberry ( Vaccirtium uliginosum), Bilberry (V. myrtillus ), Crowberry ( Empetrum hermaphroditum) and Lingonberry ( V vitis- idciea) were always among the most important traditionally used plants. Their berries also constitute a major part o f the diet of birds and mammals on Soroya. Red-stemmed Feather-moss (Pleurozium schreberi) and Glittering Wood-moss (Hylocomium splendens), Dicramtm and Lapland Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica)forms with rosettes o ftiny oval evergreen leaves smallfirm ‘heap ‘, covered by large solitary cup-shaped 5-petalled flowers Curled or Rock Sedge (Carex rupestris) is low sedge with single erect spike and narrow rigid curly leaves. It grows on rocky> calcareous soils Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) has parabolic­ shapedflowers, which turnface to the sun and concentrate sunrays at theirfocus. It increases activity o f pollinating insects, which bask in Mountain Avens flowers. Its seeds with long hairs look like birdsfeather that is echoed in its name 36