174 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



ALIEN PLANTS NEAR EDINBURGH. 



By WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E., and W. EDGAR EVANS. 



IN the previous number of this magazine, Mr. James Eraser 

 gives a valuable list of " alien " or " introduced " plants 

 gathered by himself and others during last year in the 

 neighbourhood of Edinburgh. It so happens that we have 

 also recently given considerable attention to the " Alien 

 Flora " of the district ; and in February last we submitted 

 to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh a list of about 300 

 species which we had collected. Some were gathered in 

 1902, but the great majority were obtained between July 

 and October 1903. We hope before long to have the list 

 published in full, and in the present communication we 

 therefore mention only species not in Mr. Fraser's list. A 

 number of others, such as Eranthis Jiycmalis, Reseda lutea, 

 Vicia angustifolia, Valeriana pyrenaica, Dipsacus sylvestris, 

 Campanula rapunculoides, Lamium intermedium, etc., included 

 in Dunn's " Preliminary List of the Alien Flora of Britain" 

 (1903), and not uncommon here, are purposely excluded to 

 avoid undue extension of the list. 



The naming of the large number of foreign " casuals " 

 which have sprung up from grain-siftings, etc., at Leith 

 Docks and other " dumping " grounds has been no easy 

 task ; and in this connection we are especially indebted to 

 Professor Bayley Balfour not only for facilitating our reference 

 to specimens and books in the Herbarium and Library 

 at the Royal Botanic Garden, but for himself personally 

 identifying some of our plants. To Mr. Jeffrey, assistant 

 in the Herbarium, we are also greatly indebted for much 

 help kindly rendered in a variety of ways. Professor Trail 

 of Aberdeen has likewise given us valuable assistance in the 

 identification of a number of critical species. 



Ranunculus falcatus, L. Leith Docks, a single plant, September 



1903. 



R. sardous, Crantz. Leith Docks, two or three. 

 Helkborus fatidiis, L. Near Oxenford, plentiful. 

 Delphinium Ajaa's, L. Rubbish heap near Slateford, August 1903, 



scarce. Seems to be this form, but spur shorter than normal 



