The Scottish Naturalist. 129 



THE BOTANICAL EXCHANGE CLUB OF THE BRITISH ISLES- 



Report for 1886. 



There is much in this Report to interest all British botanists ; but we shall 

 restrict our remarks to the records of Scotch plants, of which a number of 

 varieties are here noticed ; but shall not usually quote Mr. Beeby's collec- 

 tions from Shetland, already described in this Journal. "Ranunculus 

 acris L., var. tomophyllus Jord., Balta Sound, Unst, Shetland, 17th 

 August, 1886 ; a dwarf form, rarely exceeding four inches in height ; W. R. 

 Linton." " Nuphar luteum Sm., var. intermedium, Lochan, near 

 Tyndrum, Mid-Perth, 22nd July, 1885 ; J. Groves." " Lupinus per- 

 ennis L. Thoroughly naturalised on the heath at Feavel, Sandwich, Ork- 

 ney ; H. H. Johnston." Mr. Johnston states in a note that the lupines had 

 escaped from a cottage garden more than twenty years ago, and that they are 

 exterminating the native plants of the moorland. " Peucedanum Ostru- 

 thium Koch, Loch Cannor, Aberdeen, Aug., 1879; Eliz. Lomax" (An escape, 

 or planted ? Ed. Scot. Nat.). " Hieracium anglicum Fr., and H. 

 iricum Fr., Ploy, Orkneys, 10th August, 1886 ; W. R. Linton." "Leon- 

 todon autumnalis L., var. pratensis Koch, Orkneys, 1886; W. R. 

 Linton, S. Aberdeen, 1885, H. E. Fox." " Primula Scotica Hook., hilly 

 pasture, Sandwich, Orkney. Acaulescent plants produced scapes the first year 

 under cultivation, and one plant in the wild state flowered twice in the same 

 year, first with pedicals (var. acaulis), and second with a scape (P. scotica). 

 It is therefore evident that the acaulescent character does not constitute a true 

 variety, and the var. acaulis should be omitted from the next edition of the 

 London Catalogue; H. H. Johnston." "P. Scotica Hook., var. acaulis, 

 Lond. Cat., Melvich, W. Sutherland, nth July, 1886, F. J. Hanbury." 

 " Gentian a Amarella L., forma multicaulis Lange, Burrafirth Sands, 

 Unst, Shetland, July, 1886. Differs notably from our chalk plant in the colour 

 of the flowers, which is brownish -red externally, and cream or pale greenish - 

 yellow internally. Corolla-lobes always erect, not spreading in this locality ; 

 W. H. Beeby." 



Plantago maritima L., var. hirsuta Syme. ''Serpentine Hills, 

 Unst, 26th July, 1S86; W. H. Beeby. Var. minor Hook, and Am., Hoy, 

 Orkneys, 9th August, 18S6 ; W. R. Linton. There is a difference between these 

 two plants which I did not notice till rather too late. The Shetland plant has 

 linear leaves, with a good deal of silk about their base. The silk is absent 



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