THE PURPLE MOUNTAIN SAXIFRAGE IN ISLAY. 73 



Lighthouse, presumably on the neighbouring high cliffs. This 

 is but twenty-eight miles in a direct line over-sea from Dr. 

 Gilmour's Islay station on the Mull of Oa. We would like much 

 to know whether the plant still inhabits Kintyre peninsula. 



Lastly, there is a record which certainly now requires con- 

 firmation, as it has been long unconfirmed. I refer to that of 

 " Clyde Isles " — i.e., Buteshire. We know of no one who has 

 ever seen the plant there, in Arran or in Bute. The record is 

 set down by H. C. Watson in the Gybele Dritannica, but with- 

 out personal authority. 



It should be mentioned that S. oppositifolia finds a congenial 

 home in several North of England, Welsh, and West of Ireland 

 high-level stations. 



In regard to the foreign distribution of our plant, Ostenfeld's 

 Flora of the Faroes (1901) states it to grow in that island 

 group, and in Babington's Flora of Iceland (1870) it is stated 

 to occur in various localities, where it sometimes bears white 

 as well as purple flowers. 



As to its geographical range elsewhere abroad, Bentham 

 (1866) has to state that it is to be found " in moist alpine 

 situations in the higher mountain ranges of Europe, and in 

 Russia and Central Asia, extending far into the Arctic regions," 

 and we note that Sir Joseph Hooker includes America also. 



So the plant before us girdles the world in the upper part 

 of its Northern Hemisphere, while at the same time it has the 

 humility — shall we term it — to bloom beautifully on our garden 

 rockeries, as was seen at the excursion of the Society to Doon- 

 holm, Ayrshire, on the 16th of the present month. 



P.S. — Professor Trail kindly informs me that Saxifraga 

 oppositifolia is to be met with on the sea-coast in Aberdour 

 and eastern Gamrie, in Northern Aberdeenshire and Banffshire. 



