FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND AT ABERDEEN 241 



river-bed, or deposited on the waste ground before it was en- 

 closed. The refuse from fruiterers' or florists' shops and 

 from the neighbouring mills probably must account for a 

 large share of the economic plants, such as dates, oranges, 

 tomatoes, vines, and cereals, as well as for a number of the 

 weeds of warmer latitudes. It is of interest to notice that, 

 leaving out of view the fruits named above and garden flowers, 

 the greater number of the non-British species are natives of 

 Southern Europe, especially along the Levant and in Southern 

 Russia. Probably their seeds were brought with cereals from 

 these regions, and were cast out from the mills near the 

 ground. Such western species as Ambrosia artemisicsfoha 

 possibly point to a similar introduction in cereals from North 

 America, but may be from countries in Europe where they are 

 naturalised. 



Subjoined are remarks on the more noteworthy species : 



Papaver somniferum, L. An occasional escape from gardens in 

 Aberdeen. 



P. Rhceas, L., is a rare casual in fields near Aberdeen, though 

 included in the native flora by Dickie. 



Matthiola tristis, R. Br. The single specimen met with showed a 

 few flowers, and bore several leafy shoots on its spreading 

 roots. It is a native of the countries along the Mediter- 

 ranean. 



Hesperis matronalis, L., occurs here and there about Aberdeen, 

 probably as an escape from gardens. 



Sisymbrium pannonicum, Jacq., had not before been found near 

 Aberdeen, though it is included as naturalised in Britain in the 

 ninth edition of the London Catalogue. It is year by year 

 becoming more abundant on this ground, even among the rank 

 vegetation that covers the parts on which it occurs. It is a 

 native of central and Eastern Europe. 



Camelina sativa, Crantz, has of late years been scarcely rare on waste 

 ground here and there about Aberdeen, but exists only for a 

 year or two anywhere. It also is a native of Central and 

 Eastern Europe. 



Brassica. Cabbage and Curly Kale, and Yellow and Swedish 

 Turnips, all occurred in some plenty during the first year, but 

 they do not hold their ground. 



Lepidiwn Draba, L. A single plant was found in 1895 bearing 

 several inflorescences in rich flower. The flowers showed a 



