ON THE FLORA OF SHETLAND 235 



Shetland is at present uncertain. I accept the record on the 

 authority of Dr. Laurence Edmondston. I have good specimens 

 of branches and stem from the peat, kindly sent me by Mr. 

 William J. Gordon, Yell. 



\Alnusglutinosa, Gaert. " Hazel, mountain ash, and elder shrubs are 

 found in the mountains,"- Rev. James Gordon, in " Stat. 

 Account of Scotland," (North Yell and Fetlar) 1794. Mr. 

 Symers M. Macvicar, to whom I am indebted for extracts from 

 the old " Statistical Account," suggests that " elder " is a mis- 

 print for "alder." This I think very likely, for it is pretty sure 

 that elder bushes never grew "in the mountains" in Shetland. 

 Roots from the peat in North Roe have been referred 

 doubtfully to Alnus. The only tree I have seen is by the 

 side of the inn at Tresta, where many plants both native and 

 exotic have been gathered together in the unusually sheltered 

 garden, by a former proprietor. I have not ascertained the 

 origin of the tree, which is a fine healthy specimen some 

 twenty feet high.] 



*Corylus Arellana, L. Yell. "Hazels . . . are found in the 

 mountains." Rev. James Gordon, I.e., 1794. Belting. 

 " The mountain ash or rowan tree, the hazel, the honeysuckle, 

 the hip brier, and willow, are natives in many of the islets or 

 holms in the freshwater lochs." Rev. John Bryden in "New 

 Stat. Account," 1841. I regard this evidence as satisfactory 

 considering the nature of the plant. As it occurred on the 

 holms, there is no particular reason to suppose that it has 

 become extinct. The nuts are found from time to time in the 

 peat. 



Potamogeton polygonifolius, Pour., form cancel/ahis, Fryer. This is 

 the name that has been given to the remarkable form, found 

 in the Burn of Brooster, near Walls. (" Scot. Nat.," January 

 1891.) 



P. vaginatus, Turcz. L. Tingwall Loch, 1887. This plant, the 

 exact name of which has been somewhat doubtful, is now 

 definitely identified by Mr. Arthur Bennett (" J. of Bot.," 

 May 1907). It also occurs in Asta Loch, which drains out of 

 Tingwall Loch. The plant which occurs abundantly in Spiggie 

 Loch, Dunrossness, is probably the same ; but in the absence 

 of fruit, or more developed specimens, Mr. Bennett is unable 

 to speak with certainty. As a British plant, it is confined 

 to Shetland. 



Iris Pseud-acorus, L. All the plants examined, in various districts, 

 belong to /. acoriformis, Boreau. 



*Carex glauca xflava. S. Holm in a small tarn on Gibbie Law's 

 Burn. This plant, which appeared to me to be a hybrid, is 



