A (J LANCE AT THE JULY FLORA OF ALYTII. H9 



of Pitcrockney, Lepidium Smithii may be seen by 

 the side of a sandy broom-topped hillock ; and L. 

 campestre is also found at various places in the 

 district. On entering the moor by the side of the 

 railway bridge, we soon come upon Gentiana cam- 

 pestris, Genista anglica, Galium boreale, and the two 

 pretty grasses Briza media and Koeleria cristata. 

 These two grasses are quite a feature of this district 

 from the great abundance in which they occur, 

 while we know that in Clydesdale we might walk 

 for days without chancing to see either of them. 



Of orchids this moor has a large share. Orchis 

 mascxda, O. I at i folia, 0. maculata, Habenaria bifolia 

 and H. chlorantha, are all very abundant ; and large 

 patches of Gymnadenia conopsea occur here and 

 there, sending a delightful fragrance along with the 

 breeze. Of the less-common orchids, it may be 

 noticed that Neottia Nidus-avis and Listera ovata 

 both occur of very large size in the Den of Airlie, 

 a few miles to the north-east ; the former is found 

 sparingly and the latter abundantly, growing side 

 by side with Paris quadri folia. 



In the marsh near the side of the railway there is 

 a great supply of Menyanthes trifoliata, which I here 

 observed to be dimorphous — an important fact not 

 referred to in the books I consult.* While watching 

 many species of Parnassia jmlustvis, to see the well- 

 known way in which the stamens rise singly to shed 

 their pollen near the stigma, I have noticed that the 

 systems of little shining balls on the non-pollen- 

 bearhig stamens contain nothing for the nectar- 

 seeking insects which they exist to allure. They 

 are, on the contrary, hard in consistence, and only 

 succeed in attracting the insect-workers by appearing 

 to be what they are not. 



By the side of the marsh there is a carpeting of 

 Drosera rotundifolia, mixed with the contrasting 

 yellow flowers of Nartheciam ossifragum. At several 



* I find that Sir John Lnbbock notes that Menyanthes is 

 * l said to be dimorphous." 



