FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND AT ABERDEEN 25 



Dancus Carota, L. The cultivated form was not uncommon in the 

 earlier years, but in 1896 it had almost disappeared, and the 

 roots had become smaller and much more woody. In that 

 year I found a single example of the wild form. 



Caucalis nodosa, Scop. This species is given in Hooker's " Student's 

 Flora " as " from Banff southward " ; but I am not aware that 

 it had been previously detected in Aberdeenshire or Kincardine. 

 Several plants occurred near together in 1893. Though some 

 fruited it did not reappear. It had probably been the produce 

 of refuse from among cereals, possibly from South Europe. 



Scabiosa arrensis, L., had probably grown from mill refuse. It is 

 extremely rare, if not a mere casual, near Aberdeen. 



Erigeron canadense, L. Of this native of North America, now widely 

 naturalised in Europe, one or two were found in 1893 only. 



Ambrosia artemisiafolia, L., is another native of North America and 

 immigrant into Western Europe. One plant was found, in 

 good flower, in 1893. 



Xanthium spinositm, L. Of this strange-looking composite, a native 

 of South Europe, a single large plant was met with in 1893. 

 Though that summer was exceptionally warm, the plant failed 

 even to develop mature flowers, and it perished during the 

 following winter. 



Bidens chrysant/ie/noides, Michx., a native of America, may have been 

 introduced in the sweepings of some shop. 



B. tripartita, L., though given in the "Student's Flora'' as "in 

 watery places from Elgin and Isla southwards," is not native in 

 Aberdeenshire or Kincardine, so far as I am aware. The 

 seeds were probably introduced with rubbish from cereals. 



Galinsoga parviflora, Cav. This very inconspicuous weed, a native 

 of Western South America, has become so common in many 

 localities in Europe, e.g. near London, that the source of the 

 single example met with in 1893 is very doubtful. 



Achillea crithmifolia, W. K. Two examples of this plant of South- 

 East Europe were found in 1893, probably grown from shop 

 sweepings. 



Anthemis Cotitlct, L., appeared very sparingly in 1893 and in 1896. 

 As it occurs in cultivated fields from Fife southwards in Britain, 

 and is widely distributed on the continent of Europe, it is 

 useless to try to conjecture whence the seeds had been brought. 

 None of these eight composites had, so far as I know, been de- 

 tected in this district previously. 



