L 3^1 ] 

 NOTES, 



BOTANY. 



FUNGI, 



The Utility of noting Fungrus-Iocalltles,— Despite the universal 

 abundance of the Daisy, the parasitic cluster-cup fungus which it some- 

 times harbours, is so rare that I had never, until a few weeks ago, come 

 across it. Happening to be at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, on August 

 25th, and remembering that the fungus had been recorded from here by 

 Mr. Greenwood Pim a good many years ago, I kept a sharp look-out 

 whilst walking up the " Gold-mines Valley," and was rewarded by find- 

 ing an abundance of this rare species. It was formerly called (Ecidium 

 co7?ipositarum var. bellidis, D.C., but is now known to be only a stage in the 

 life-history of Fuccinia obsctcra, Schroet., the other, or teleutospore stage, 

 being passed on Luzida cainpestris. 



E. J. McWeenjsy, Dublin. 



A curious Coincidence. — For several years I have carefully ob- 

 served Fumaria officinalis in order to ascertain if it ever became atta<:ked 

 by fungal parasites — but always in vain. Last August a plant was 

 sent me from Westport by a friend who is commencing the study of field- 

 botany, and wanted to be told the name of the specimen. As luck would 

 have it, that very plant of Fmnaria was severely infected with a parasitic 

 mould which I had never before seen — Feronospora affiiiis, Rossm., de- 

 scribed by Massee as " rare." Rare it certainly is about Dublin, for out 

 of the hundreds of specimens of the host-plant I have examined, not one 

 presented the parasite, whilst it is accidentally present on the only 

 specimen I have ever seen from Co. Mayo ! 



E. J. McWeeney 



MOSSES, 



The WIoss Flora of Aran. — The visit of the combined Field Clubs 

 to Aranmore took place at the very worst season for collecting mosses, 

 and the meagre list published does not do justice to the bryology of the 

 island. Aranmore, with its dry limestone rocks, cannot promise a 

 copious moss flora, but yet, in winter or early spring, it might very well 

 repay a search, A full enumeration for this western outlier would be 

 very interesting, and it is to be hoped that ere long some local botanist 

 may undertake this work. Going there by steamer in May, 1891, and 

 stopping all night, I had an afternoon and a morning's work amongst 

 the plants. The search for mosses was not, on this occasion, the primary 

 object, and the near approach of summer did not authorise the hope of 

 much results as regards these moisture-loving plants. Nevertheless 

 some damp nooks did turn up affording suitable habitats, and my list of 

 species, collected in Aran, includes the following, which do not appear to 

 have been found by the Field Clubs, whose report is the only record of 

 Aran mosses that I can find : — Dicranujn scopariuni. L. ; Tortula ttwntana, 

 Nees. ; Cinclidoius fontinaloides, L. ; Grimviia heterosticha, Muell. ; Orthotrichtan 

 saxatile, Brid. ; Fiinaria hygroinetrica, L. ; Breutdia chrysocoma, Dicks. ; Hypmon 

 striatum, Schreb. ; Neckera coviplanata, L. ; Fottia Heijnii, Hedw. ; Mollia 

 nitida, Lindb. ; Grijiimia prtcinosa, Wils. ; Zygodon viridissitmts, Dicks. ; 

 Funaria obttisa, Dicks. ; Bryitm ccespititiutn, ly. ; Anomodon vitictdosis, ly. ; and 

 Hypnum rusciforme, Neck. 



S. A. Stewart, Belfast. 



