Ydre Municipality
Ydre Municipality (Ydre kommun) is a municipality in Östergötland County, southeast Sweden. The municipal seat is located in the town of Österbymo. The municipality was created through the local government reform of 1952, when six former entities were united. The name was taken from the old Ydre Hundred. Its area remained unchanged by the reform of 1971. The name Ydre, which was formerly applied to most of the area around Sommen, is interpreted to mean "place of yews". Two localities in particular appear to be further associated with yews these are Idhult and Idebo. Localities There are 3 urban areas (also called a tätort or locality) in Ydre Municipality. In the table the localities are listed according to the size of the population as of December 31, 2005. The municipal seat is in bold characters. Other localities include Sund, Torpa, Norra Vi, Asby, Rönnäs, Svinhult and Ydrefors. Climate and vegetation Relative to other areas of southern Sweden Ydre stands out for its low precipitation and low humidity. The rainiest months of the years are September followed by July and August. Each of these months had a precipitation of c. 70 mm. The driest months are February and March, with 35 mm each. The hottest months are July, Juni and August averaging 14–15 °C. The coldest months are January and February with about -4 °C. The climate is expected to become warmer and drier in future. The growing season around Sommen is of about 216 days with 2614 degree days. The vegetation in Ydre is mostly dominated by pine and spruce forest. Broad-leaf forest and open agricultural fields can also be found at some locations. In particular the southern shores of lake Sommen contain more lush vegetation and broad-leaf forest than the northern side, which has more cliffs and contiguous pine forests. The rare and endangered flower Anthericum liliago can be found along the lake's rocky shores. This is one of the northernmost locales where it grows. In Torpön island grows Sweden's largest wych elm and at Asby, a few kilometers from the southern shores grows Sweden's thickest spruce. The name Ydre, which was formerly applied to most of the area around Sommen, is interpreted to mean "place of yews". One locality in particular appears to be further associated with yews. This is Idebo along Norra Vifjärden. Some plants usually associated to carbonate rock areas appears as rarities near Sommen, since there are no known carbonate rock outcrops in the area. The plants are Vicia pisiformis and the orchids Ophrys myoides, Malaxis monophyllos, Herminium monorchis. History Trolls, jättar and Christianization There are various tales of jättar and trolls opposing the spread of Christianity in Ydre. Likely church building followed a tradition that "the king" should begin the building, and then the local populace finish it. This was later codified in Östgötalagen. It is not known when the first churches around the lake were built. For comparison, the church in nearby Tidersrum was built in 1300, and Leonhard Fredrik Rääf asserts that