The Scottish Naturalist. 125 



the corolla being cleft down part of the throat nearly to the anthers, from 

 above which rises the style,, and the limb of the corolla being deeply cut on 

 the outer edge, spreads out into heart shaped divisions ; this combination I 

 purpose to designate the "Bracteate" group, producing so great diversity in 

 colour and form. 



We further notice from the " Flora" already quoted — " In an old wood 

 where cowslips were abundant, far removed from primroses, seven dissimilar 

 plants were noticed : four plants being similar to what is frequently known 

 •in Fife as the Oxlip ; and two had flowers of less size, of a cowslip yellow." 

 Similar forms as here represented were collected near the summit of Kelly 

 Law, Dunbarnie Links, and Kincraig Point, the only difference being that 

 the flowers were pure white. Of this group we have not collected much 

 ■seed, but what we have sown has produced several orange and other varie- 

 ties, and one hose-in-hose, where the entire calyx, being represented by a 

 a coloured corolla, was so designated by the old florists. This combination, 

 which embraces many varieties, we purpose to designate the "Oxlip" group, 

 although individually among so many small differences I am unable to 

 determine the individual Oxlip where the scape bears flowers in umbels. 

 There are three varieties which may form a separate group, as there are 

 many grown under cultivation, namely, the hose-in-hose, which I have not 

 yet seeded, which may be designated by the "Duplex" group in reference to 

 the divaricate corolla. I received notice from Mr. Luke of Elie of a duplex 

 primrose growing wild among other primroses on the Links there. I failed 

 •to find it that season, but found it the following year. I also received a plant 

 with duplex brown coloured flowers from Mr. Petheram, who found it by 

 the side of a stream ; and also from Miss Petheram a duplex form of the 

 common cowslip, who collected it on the Links at Lundin ; while a short 

 time after Miss Jeffrey found a plant growing on the Home Park at Largo. 

 — C. Howie, Largo, Fife, April, 1875. 



Bryological Notes.— Dicranum montanum Hedw. found in Scot- 

 land. — In November last year, I took advantage of my being at 

 Blairgowrie to visit the Den of Craighall, in order that I might form 

 for myself some idea of the botany of that justly celebrated place. The 

 Den may be called a magnificent canon, one of the finest in Scotland, 

 very similar to the Den of Airlie in its geological character and general 

 appearance, but scarcely so grand or extensive. A place like this, and 

 which includes among its flowering plants several important species, chief 

 among which is Polygonatam verticillatum, might well be expected to 

 furnish many of the most interesting of the lower forms of vegetation ; 

 and as nobody had previously paid much attention to the cryptogams 

 there, I, in company with the Rev. W. Herdman of Rattray, started 

 for the Den with good expectations. Although we had only three or 

 -four hours to spare, and the day was so bitterly cold and stormy that every- 

 thing was frozen out of its normal aspect, and botanizing had to be carried 

 on with gloved hands, our expectations were more than fulfilled. We 

 selected the east or left bank of the river for exploration, and while passing 

 onwards from Rattray towards Craighall, through the cultivated fields be- 

 low Bonnyton, I gathered the golden summer-spores of Melamspora 



