Abstract

Often, A. 1998. Bruk av rundbelg Anthyllis vulneraria s.l. i kunsteng og blomstereng i Norge, samt litt om andre utgåtte kunstengvekster. Blyttia 56: 208-219.
The use of Anthyllis vulneraria s.l. in artificial meadows in Norway, with some additional data on other «old» fodder plants.

The use of Anthyllis vulneraria s.l. as a fodder plant in North West Europe, in Norway in particular, is reviewed. Introduced from Germany and Denmark, where the species was used for hay production on poor, dry and sandy meadows, Norwegian agriculturists included A. vulneraria in field experiments of fodder plants in the years 1890 to 1920. The experiments were conducted at 33 experimental stations, located in different parts of South Norway. The ecotypes used proved to be short-lived, and produced a satisfactory hay crop only the first and second year after sowing. Chemical analyses showed, however, that the nutritional value of A. vulneraria was inferior to other species (e.g. Trifolium spp.). Nevertheless, A. vulneraria was recommended up to 1920 as a minor percentage in seed mixtures for one to two year meadows on dry and poor soil.
Between 1902 and 1925 the Norwegian Agricultural Inspection Service, Seed Testing Station, tested on average 1.5 batches of A. vulneraria seed per year, 0.7% compared to the amount of Trifolium pratense seed batches. The Agricultural Co-operative (‘Felleskjøpet, Østlandet’) offered A. vulneraria seeds from Russia or Germany for sale between 1906 and 1913.
A. vulneraria is common along roads, but has probably not intentionally been sown on road verges by the highway authorities. A. vulneraria s.l. was included in field experiments between 1991 and 1994 on potential species for modern, ornamental meadows. The species was judged as well suited for this purpose, but it is at present rarely included in commercial seed-mixtures.
Whether parts of the taxonomic variation of A. vulneraria in Norway can be attributed to the agricultural use of the plant is not yet known. However, it is plausible that at least some of the present populations were introduced during the period 1890-1925.
Data from the Seed Testing Station and the Agricultural Co-operative show that e.g. Vicia cracca, V. sepium, Bromus arvensis, Phalaris arundinacea, Arrhenatherum elatius, Glyceria fluitans and Poa trivialis, on a minor scale, were used as fodder plants in the beginning of the 20th century. The seed for these fodder plants, as well as A. vulneraria, were often imported from outside Scandinavia. It is argued that fodder plants are probably the most common group of naturalized aliens.

Anders Often, Norges landbrukshøgskole, Institutt for biologi og naturforvaltning, boks 5014, N-1432 Ås

Blyttia 56(4)
Blyttias hjemmeside
Lagt ut 12.4.1999 Jan Wesenberg