The Scott isJi Naturalist. 3 1 1 



coloured flowers, and found in Britain only on the Little Cul- 

 rannoch in Clova, on the summit of which, on two spots about 

 half a mile apart, and 3000 feet above sea-level, it grows spar- 

 ingly ; and on Hobcarten Crag in Cumberland, where it differs 

 from the Scottish plant in being larger in all its parts. Its 

 exotic distribution is the Arctic regions and the European Alps. 

 The Oxytropis campestris is in Britain found only on one hill- 

 side in Clova, at an elevation of 2000 feet, and never spreads 

 beyond a very limited range. Its exotic distribution is arctic 

 and alpine Europe, and North America. Astragalus alpinus 

 grows on the summit of a cliff on Craig-mad in Clova, and on 

 the Little Craigendall in Braemar, the only two British localities, 

 its exotic distribution being the same as the last-mentioned 

 species. The Mulgedium alpinum is rather an anomaly among 

 alpine plants, growing two to three feet high, in ravines in Clova 

 and Caenlochen, and on Lochnagar, where it is getting rare. Its 

 exotic distribution is arctic and alpine Europe and Asia. The 

 Gentiana nivalis, found in Britain only on Ben Lawers, on Cam- 

 creag, and in Caenlochen, is thus common to both counties, 

 and is one of the rarest alpine gems. Its exotic distribution is 

 arctic and alpine Europe and America. Azalea procumbens, an 

 evergreen shrub growing in spreading tufts and sheets an inch 

 high, and covered with small pink flowers, grows on many of 

 the Highland hills, its exotic distribution being arctic and alpine 

 Europe, and arctic Asia and America, but excluding the Pyrenees. 



It would occupy too much time to specify all our native 

 alpines, but several of the alpine ferns may be mentioned which 

 are common to both counties. These are Cystopteris montana, 

 very rare ; it is widely distributed in the arctic and alpine regions 

 of Europe, Asia, and in Canada. The two species of Woodsia, 

 ilvmsis and hyperborea. are also very rare with us, and have a 

 distribution similar to the last ; as have also Polypodium alpestrc, 

 and its remarkable congener or sub-species, P. flexile, found 

 only in Glenprosen and Ben Aulder. 



Ben Lawers is by far the richest locality for alpine plants in 

 Scotland, individual species being there present in much greater 

 profusion than elsewhere, many spots displaying a rich mosaic 

 of Saxifrdga, Dryas, Silc/te, Cerastiu/n, Myosotis, &c. — a picture 

 which only those can see who undergo the toil of climbing 3000 

 feet. 



It will be seen how irregular, localised, and fragmentary is 

 the distribution of our alpine flora, so contrary to the method 



