62 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



PLANT RAMBLES IN WALES. 

 By G. C. Druce, F.L.S. 



STARTING from Conway at 3 A.M. one beautiful 

 morning in July last, which is, as Kingsley in 

 liis "Water Babies" says, the most pleasant part of 

 a midsummer's day, passing by Conway Castle, on 

 waste ground we noticed Smyrnium Olusatntm, 

 Lavatera, and Centranthus ruber ; and by the side of 

 the embankment, Sedum dasyphyllum and anglicum ; 

 by the railway-side, toward Deganway, were seen 

 Spergularia marginata, Trifolium striatum and ar- 

 vense, (Euanthe crocata, Lotus crassifolias, Glaucium 

 lutcum, Hordeum maritimum, Triticum junceum, 

 Juncus Gerard/, and Sclerochloa maritima. On a 

 little hill near Deganway — a locality noticed previously 

 in Science-Gossip by Mr. Lees — appeared the pretty 

 Dianthus deltoides and profusion of Galium verum 

 and Jasione motitaua ; on Deganway Craig occurred 

 quantities of Silybum Marianum, Carduus tenuiflorus, 

 Porago officinalis ; Jllarrubium vulgare, Lycopsis ar- 

 vensis, and other introduced plants ; on the ivy- 

 covered rocks looking north were Orobanche Hederce 

 and Silene nutans; on the sandy ground towards 

 Llandudno were seen Carex arenaria, Geranium 

 sanguineum-prostatum, Seilla vcrna in fruit. On the 

 Orme's Head some fine specimens of Orobanche 

 Hederce were gathered, and after a long hunt Cotone- 

 aster — a single plant — was found in the locality given 

 by Mr. Lees, near it being seen Rubia pcregrina, 

 Geranium sanguinenm, Solidago Virgaurca, Epipactis 

 cvalis, Juniperus communis — a very prostrate variety, 

 and Spircea Filipendula, IFclianthcmum canum, Orchis 

 pyramidalis, Hieracium cinereum, Hyoscyamus uiger, 

 Arabis hirsuta, Erodium maritimum, Silene nutans, 

 Serratula tinctoria, Verbena officinalis, Lcpidium 

 Smithii, Carduus tenuiflorus, and Marrubium vulgare. 

 I could not find Veronica hybrida, Spiranthes autum- 

 )ialis, or Linosyris vulgaris. The coast back to 

 Conway yielded Convolvulus Soldanclla, great quanti- 

 ties of Eryngium maritimum and Glaucium lutcum (see 

 two paintings by Miss Harrison in the Institute of 

 British Water-colours), besides Phleum armarium, 

 Psamma arenaria, Honkeneja peploides, Glaux mari- 

 tima, Salsola Kali, and Atriplex Babingtonii and 

 arenaria. The picturesque ruins of Conway Castle 

 are interesting to botanists from the vast quantities 

 of Orobanche Hederce on the ivy, even little trans- 

 planted stems bearing two or more parasites. A 

 species of Dianthus, probably plumarius, was also 

 frequent. 



In the Fairy Glen, near Eettws-y-Coed, we first 

 saw the delicate Wahlenbergia hederacea — a fitting 

 place for such a lovely flower; several Carices (CEderi, 

 pallescens and stellulata), Orchis latij'olia, Veronica 

 montana, and Solidago cambrica. Tandy Mill was 

 covered with multitudes of Cotyledon Umbilicus. 



On the hilly road to Festiniog were seen the usual 



heath and moor plants. An evening's walk up to 

 the falls near Festiniog was very enjoyable, the 

 scenery being some of the best in North Wales. In 

 a coppice above the Upper Fall were found Vicia 

 Orobns and Festuca sylvatica. Among other plants 

 noticed were IFabenaria chlorantha, Gymnadenia conop- 

 sea, the ferns Phegopteris and Dryopteris being fre- 

 quent. Towards the quarries Corydalis claviculata 

 was found. 



The pass of Aberglaslyn was interesting both geo- 

 logically and botanically. Sedum Forsterianum was 

 frequent at the bottom of the valley, and on the 

 sandy delta occurred Sagina nodosa, Agrostis pumila, 

 Equisetum arenarium, Ornithopus perpusillus, Carex 

 arenaria, and Isoetes Savii. On the rocky sides of 

 the pass grew Hypericum Androsamum, round which 

 was a colony of the gregarious Burnet moth. 



The Beddgelert ascent of Snowdon is very easy, 

 but as a mist thickly enshrouded the ridge, not much 

 botanising was done till the summit was reached, 

 where, free from mist the heat became almost un- 

 bearable. I soon made up my mind to have a good 

 search for Lloydia; first climbing the ridge to Llywedd, 

 finding Allosurus crispus, Rhodiola rosea, called by 

 the guides the Snowdon rose, Saxifraga stellaris and 

 hypnoides. Then returning to the summit, to the 

 south of which a descent was made to the lake, which 

 entailed some good crag climbing, I noticed Poa 

 alpina, Carex rigida, Saxifraga oppositifolia in flower, 

 Alsine vema, Thalictrum minus-montanum, alpinum 

 rarely in flower, Silene acaulis, Asplenium viride, 

 Cystopteris fragilis and Lycopodium alpinum, but no 

 Lloydia. Returning to the summit by the Pen-y- 

 Gwryd the ascent was too barren and exposed for 

 plants, but the view was very fine and extensive, Cader 

 Idris and Plinlimmon being seen. In Llanberis lakes 

 Lsoetes lacustris, Alisma ranunculoides, Liitorella 

 lacustris, and Lobelia Dortmanna were found. 



A visit to Aberfraw Common and Llyn Coron 

 resulted in the finding of Prunella vulgaris, v&r.a/ba, 

 Alentha rotundifolia, Lepidium campestre, Helosciadium 

 repens ; it was quite necessary to have a swim in the 

 lake, where a long search was at length rewarded by 

 gathering Elatiue hexandra and Llydropiper, both 

 nearly crowded out by Chara, Potamogeton crispus, 

 Ranunculus fiuitans, var. Bachii, and Myriophyllum 

 spicatum, the borders of the lake yielding Alisma 

 ranunculoides, var. repens, Peplis Portula, and Montia 

 fontana. On the sandy common Viola Curtisii was 

 very abundant, growing round the strange little 

 bunches of furze, and here and there Erythrcra pul- 

 chella, Carex ampullacca, Festuca uniglumis, arenaria, 

 Erodium maritimum, and a dried-up specimen of 

 LCuappia agrostidea. 



Returning to Nant Francon, where Saxifraga 

 stellaris grows by the roadside, washed clown from 

 the Carnedd, and passing by some white foxglove 

 and thyme, a climb was made up to Llyn Idwal, 

 where, by the quiet, dark lake, some good botanising 



