144 

 BOTANICAL EEMINISCENCES. 



BY JOHN ROSE, ESQ., M. A., M. D., F. B. S., ASSISTANT SURQKOX R. N, 



The Flora of Aberdeen is much richer, and more varied than one would 

 suppose, judging from the bare and barren appearance of the surrounding 

 district. "Many botanists," as Dr. Dickie remarks, "have supposed that a 

 close relation exists between the plants of a country and the nature of its 

 rocksj in other words, that certain plants are confined to granite, and others 

 to sandstone formations, etc. In this district granite, gneiss and mica-s!ate 

 seem to predominate over all the others; but the old red sandstone prevails 

 to a considerable extent as at the old bridge of Don. Small formations of 

 greenstone, serpentine, hornblende slate, and porphyritic felspar also occur." 

 As far as our observation goes, few, if any, of the plants are confined exclu- 

 sively to particular rocksj but more extended inquiries may lead us to change 

 our views. 



Nearly six hundred species of plants are found within a twenty miles circuit 

 of Aberdeen. Linnoea hnrealis occurs in several stations. In a wood opposite 

 Fintray House, my late lamented friend. Professor Macgillivray, found it with 

 th-ee and four flowers on a peduncle, and not always with tioo flowers, as 

 denoted by its English name. Ghrt/sosplenium alternifoliunij a rare plant in 

 the district, although pretty common in the neighbouring county of Banff", was 

 first found on the banks of the Don by the same gentleman. Chrysosplenium 

 oppositifolium is frequent here, as it is almost everywhere in the north of 

 Scotland. Utricularia intermedia and U. minor we have also gathered in the 

 vicinity. Lithospermum maritimum, the leaf of which is thick and fleshy, and 

 of a pale green colour, with a taste resembling oysters, is found occasionally 

 on the Aberdeenshire coast. Hyoscyamus niger, Agrimonia eiqyatoria, Gera- 

 nium sanguiiieum, Campanula glomerata, and Astragalus glacyophyllus we have 

 gathered near the old castle of Duuottar, so famous in Scotch History. In 

 addition to the common Ranunculi, R. auricomus occurs occasionally on the 

 banks of the Don. Perhaps my friend and class-fellow, Dr. Wm. Williamson, 

 of Aberdeen, still remembers the trouble we had, and the risk we ran, in 

 collecting Ranunculus sceleratus, and other marshy plants near King's College. 



The White and Yellow Water-lily occur in several small lakes or lochs 

 near Aberdeen. 



"Mark where transparent waters glide, 



Soft flowing- o'er their tranquil bed; 

 There, cradled on the dimpling tide, 



Nymphwa rests her lovely head. 

 But conscious of the earliest beam. 



She rises from her humid nest, ^ 



And sees reflected in the stream 



The virgin whiteness of her breast. 

 Till the bright-day star to the west 



Declines, in ocean's surge to lave; 

 Then folded in her modest vest 



She slumbers on the rocking wave." 



