New or Rare Plants of IrelandAuthor(s): G. C. DruceSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 2, No. 8 (Mar., 1929), pp. 163-165Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25531628 .

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MAlien, 1<)2<l] 163

One spring night near Lurgan I was in the middle of a bog working sallow blossom for early moths. I heard steps on the

road, but paid no heed, until suddenly I was startled by a gun shot at close range and shot pattering round me. Needless to

say I quickly took cover under the sallow bushes, and then stones

began to crash through the sallow branches. But it was damp and wet so I decided to face my assailants. They were horrified when they saw my attire, and explained that my lights had been seen in the hamlet on the hill top, so at last they borrowed a

gun and went forth to slay the bogey that was terrifying the

country. We parted good friends with many mutual apologies. It was near Belfast that a man, having learnt that I was

catching moths, eagerly threw open his house and cried, '*

Come

in, your Biverance, come in, my Sunday breeches are all alive

with them/' In Kerry one night I was working ragweed flower?Joseph

thawns, they call them there-?at the back of a hedge along the road. An old lady went past, escorted home after an evening's whist with her neighbours. A country

" gossoon

" was her

escort. I had my lantern in one hand, my net in the other.

Just as the footsteps came up to whore I was, there came a wild

yell and a scream, then I heard the words, "

It's the divil, ma'am, it's the divil, he's switching his tail!"

The grass, Glyceda ftuitans, when in bloom is a most pro lific bait for moths. It grows abundantly in the dykes around

Lurgan. You lie down on your stomach and examine the flowers

with your light as you lean over the water as far as you dare.

Then you net whatever looks tempting. Thus engaged one night 1 heard steps behind me, and turning on my light found my self

confronted by two stalwart constables. They each took an arm,

and, nolens volens, back I had to go to the country road, where

I found the countryside collected on their way home from Satur

day night marketing. I was seen going in, apparently a clear

case of felo de se. So the constables passing were commandeered

for the rescue. But the straps and pumps off my bicycle, left beside the road, were gone!

Sometimes you are forestalling mushroom pickers by gather

ing the fungi by lamp light. Again you are a Pbrtavogie fishing smack gone on the rocks and flashing signals for rescue, or

someone catching rabbits by dazzling them with acetylene light. But beware of river banks, else the water bailiffs will have you up for

" torching

" salmon and trout.

-0??

NEW OR RARE PLANTS OF IRELAND. By G. C. Druce. M.A., LL.D.

During 1924 I visited Ireland, and in 1927 and 1928 I spent some time there. On the last occasion I motored about 1,600

miles around the coast, my route being from Dublin to Belfast,

visiting Cave Hill and Lough Neagh (where one saw the northern form of Spiranthes). Then on to Londonderry and Letterkenny.

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164 The Irish Naturalists' Journal. [Vol II.

Our search for Arctostaphylos alpina proved fruitless; in the

vicinity of Kilmacrenan we got Lolium rcmotum in a flax-field,

but Cuscuta Epilinum seems a thing of the past. We stayed at

Dunfanaghy, where there are most extensive sand-dunes, but

these were very barren. Unfortunately, wet weather came on as

we journeyed.through Glenties and Ardara to Carrick, where we

got Rubus Winteri. The river-side here offered a splendid form of Hieracium umbellatum, which proves a new one to the flora.

Then on through Donegal to Laghy, where the river was in spate, and by Ballyshannon to Bundoran and Sligo through beautiful

scenery with Ben Bulben a prominent object. We climbed Ben

Bulben, where we" saw Arenaria ciliata var. hibernica, Poly gala

Babingtonii, Euphrasia Salisburgensis, Draba incana, etc., and

went on through Glencar, and from Sligo to Collooney, Ballina to Crossmolina, where we found Melampyrum pratcnsc var. hians,

Mallaranny to Achill, where in abundance grew Erica mediterranca

var. hibernica. Oh tne stretch of sea sand near Keel the hybrid Agropyron Hackelii (A. junceum x re pens) was a noticeable

feature, and a curious form of Plantago Coronopus with the

rosette of leaves an inch above the sand surface.

From Achill we went to Newport and Westport, and by the side of Killaery Bay to Leenane, Clifden, and Roundstone. There

we saw the characteristic plants, but whereas in 1924 Spiranthes autumnalis and Arabis ciliata were abundant, in 1928 we could not see the latter, and the Spiranthes was scarce.

Prom Roundstone we went on by Cashel to Galway, and thence to Bally vaughan and Black Head. In the Caher River the hybrid Pondweed Potamogeton pusillus was in good condi tion, and in 1921 1 had discovered P. coloratus growing in the

stream, thus supporting Dr. Hagstrom's prediction that this with P. pusillus are the parents. In these places too grows an

Equisetum, which comes between trachyodon and Wilsoni.

Euphrasia Salisburgensis is common hereabouts on the limestone.

We then went on to Lisdoonvarna and the Cliffs of Moher. Thence to Limerick by Lehinch and Ennistymon. Near Limerick we saw the new electric station, and drove on to Mallow and

Kiilarney. Thence to the Roughty River to see Hieracium Scullyi, and on to Kenmare. In 1927, through the kindness of Lady

Lansdowne, we visited* Waterville and Derrynane, but missed

Spiranthes gemmipara there, but found it at Berehaven. This year we failed to see it at either place, but Sirnethis bicolor was in good fruit. From Glengariff we went twice to Castletown, but there we could see no Spiranthes. We then went to Macroom

and Cork, thence to Blarney, and by Castle Martyr (where Hyperi cum hircinum was plentiful) to Youghal, Tramore and Dungarvan.

Then on to Rosslare, where Sisyrinchium californicum was in immense quantity. Near Lady's Island lake Diotis candidis sima is still plentiful and beautiful.

From Wexford we went to Gorey and on to Glendalough; thence through the Rocky Valley to Dublin. Mr. and Mrs. R.

W. Williamson and Mr. J. Chappie were my companions in 1928.

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March, 1929.] 165

In these various visits of mine to Ireland in 1677, 1901, 1909, 1921, 1927, 1928 it has been my good luck to see almost all the

plants of Ireland, and to add a few to its flora. These include: ?

Bursa concava (Almq.).?Mallow, Co. Cork, 1921.

B. Druceaua Almq.?Killarney, 1921.

B. turoncensis (Almq.).?Waterville, Co. Kerry, 1927.

Alchemilla colorata Buser.?Cave Hill, Co. Antrim. New

to the British Isles. A. subcrenata Buser.?Cave Hill, Co. Antrim. New to

Ireland.

A. reniformis Buser.?Cave Hill, Co. Antrim. New to

Ireland.

Taraxacum Drucei Dahlst.?Fussaroe, Co. Wicklow. Kil

larney and Kenmare, Co. Kerry. New to science.

Hieracium umbellatum L. var. chloromelanum Dahlst.?By the Carrick River, Co. Donegal, 1928. New to British Isles.

Thymus Serpyllum L. forma sylvicola \V. & S.?Eoundstone,

Co. Galway.

Thymus Drucei Bonn.?Ben Bulben, Co. Sligo; Cliffs of

Molier, Co Clare (Druce). Benevenagh, Co. Londonderry (Trap nell).

T. britannicus Ronn.?Letterkenny, Co. Donegal; Glen

Caher, Black Head, Co. Clare; Annacoona, Co. Sligo; Carnsore

Point and Lady's Island, Co. Wexford; Roundstone and Clifden, Co. Galway.

T. pycnotrichus Ronn.?Waterville, Co. Kerry; Cave Hill, Co. Antrim, 1899; Annacoona, Co. Sligo; Blackhead, Co. Clare.

T. neglectus Ronn.?Ben Bulben, Co. Sligo; Derrynane, Co.

Kerry, 1906, 1928; Tramore, Co. Waterford (H.B.M.); Arklow, Co. Wicklow (H.B.M.); Killough Point, Co. Down (Waddell).

T. zetlandicus Druce and Ronn.?Brandon Mtn., Co. Kerry

(Trapnell); Arklow Sands, Co. Wicklow (Fawcett). Potamogeton panormitanus Biv.?Near Toomebridge in the

River Bann, Co. Antrim, 1909. First Irish record. P. Seemenii A. & G.?River Laune near

Ballymalis, Co.

Kerry. New to the British Isles.

Many new

county records have also been obtained.

-S\

BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND.? COASTAL SURYEY No. 1.

GRASSWRACK COMMUNITY IN BALLYHOLME BAY.

Plate IX.

By C. T. Ingold, M.Sc.

The area described in this note (see plate) occurs on the western side of Ballymacormick Point, that is, on the eastern shore of Bally holme Bay. The exact position can be found by referring to the Gin. ordnance survey map (Down?Sheet 2). The channel X is one fifth of a mile due west of Glenganagh Farm.

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