The Scottish Naturalist. 353 



all growing most luxuriantly. In a marsh near the loch are to 

 be found Ranunculus lingua, Typha latifolia and Butomus 

 (if not now extinct) ; but it is very doubtful whether all of 

 these have not been introduced. 



It is probable that other Potamogetons, besides the eight 

 mentioned above, grow in the loch, and will yet be found. 



F. Buchanan White. 



Rumex conspersus (Hartm.) on Tweedside.— I suspect that this 

 interesting dock will be more plentiful, and more widely spread than is 

 generally supposed, as there are comparatively few botanists who pay the 

 attention to this family that it deserves. Within the last four years three 

 new ones have been added to the British Flora, viz., R. maximus Schreb., 

 R. mpestris Le Gal. , and R. sylvestris WaUr. , besides some other varieties 

 of R. obtusifolius and crispus. In the beginning of August last, in company 

 with Mr. F. M. Webb, I first got acquainted with R. conspersus in a living 

 state. It was growing plentifully on Tweedside, near Roxburgh Barnes, 

 on a gravelly place liable to be flooded every time the river rose three or 

 four feet. The other docks growing along with it were — R. obtusifolius, 

 aquaticus, crispus, pratensis, and viridis. I have since observed it, both 

 higher up and lower down the river than Barnes, both in gravelly and 

 , grassy places, but always near the river side. Unlike most plants in an 

 uncultivated state, the docks appear to hybridize somewhat freely, as both 

 R. conspersus and R. pratensis are considered by some of the highest 

 authorities to be hybrids ; and from what I have seen of these two in this 

 neighbourhood, I believe that such is the case. The reputed parents of 

 R. conspersus are R. obtusifolius and R. aquaticus ; some of the plants 

 inclining to one parent, and some to the other. The prevailing form, 

 which is exactly similar to specimens that I received through the Exchange 

 Club last year, which were gathered by Dr. Boswell at Cowdenbeath, Fife, 

 and Crook of Devon, Kinross, is easily known by its habit at a distance. 

 •It is more erect and rather taller than obtusifolius, but there are others 

 which it is difficult to say what they are until close to them, being much 

 closer and more compact than the usual form. Some specimens have a 

 good deal the appearance of R. crispus var. subcordatus Warren., a plant 

 which, if I understand it rightly, is more common than the type on Tweed- 

 side. The period when conspersus is in flower comes also between 

 aquaticus and obtusifolius, the first-named being earliest, and obtusifolius 

 latest. Although R. conspersus has been known in this country for some 

 time, it is scarcely noticed in any of the Floras. In the 6th Ed. of " Bab- 

 ington's Manaul," all we find about it is — " R. conspersus (Hartm. ?), which 

 has membranous netted broadly cordate toothed enlarged petals, is found by 

 Dr. Arnott in Kinross-shire ;" and the Students' Flora has the following 

 under R. acutus L. — " R. conspersus Hartm. which has more crisped leaves, 

 otherwise agrees with this ; it was found in Kinross-shire by Dr. Walker 

 Arnott, who suspected it to be a hybrid between R. obtusifolius and 



