1898. J Davies. — Epilobiicm roseiwi in Ireland. 43 



view? When it is considered that this Epilobe is uncertain 

 in its appearance, and without permanence in some of its 

 localities, it will not appear so surprising that it could not 

 be refound in places where it may have been known to occur 

 half a century ago. That John Templeton found the plant 

 in his orchard, and Dr. Robert Templeton by the I^agan canal, 

 now seems to be not so unlikely as was previously supposed. 

 So late as last November, I found some examples on a sheltered 

 wall at Ballydrain, which is still nearer Cranmore than are 

 the localities that were before mentioned : Ball5^drain is indeed 

 scarcely more than a mile from Cranmore. 



Moore and More, in " Cybele Hibernica," in desiring verifi- 

 cation of " Banks of I^agan, near Cranmore " and ** Glen in 

 Holy wood Hills,'' thought that " at present the kind of station 

 seems rather suspicious." But why should the kind of station 

 excite suspicion ? Reference to some of the English county 

 Floras will show that " Banks of streams in sandy or peaty 

 ground," " Damp places," " Copses and moist places " are 

 given as some of its known habitats. 



Following some conversation with Mr. Stewart, to whom I 

 described the characters of the situations in which our Epilo- 

 bium occurs here, he writes : — *' I do not say that I don't now 

 accept E. roseunt as a native, on the contrary, the evidence 

 is strongly in its favour, but in the case of a plant to which 

 others have attached so much suspicion I do not like to com- 

 mit myself positively without more prolonged investigation," 

 which is in accordance with his usual commendable caution. 

 Judging from what I have already seen of the plant, my own 

 opinion is that it has most probably been overlooked, and that 

 the main result of extended investigation will be to show that 

 it is more widely distributed than has hitherto been believed. 

 It may be said that such fragmentary evidence as I have 

 ventured to produce is not of a positive character. That may 

 be so. The question that has been raised is one in which it 

 is scarcely possible to arrive at absolute certainty. It must 

 remain a matter of opinion ; and considerations in support of 

 either view which may satisfy one, may be deemed insufficient 

 by another. For my own part I can discover nothing whatever 

 to disturb my conviction that Epilobmm roseum is native in 

 Ireland ; and in expressing this as my belief, I hope I have 

 avoided doing so in any spirit of dogmatism. 

 Glenmore Cottage, I^isburn. - 



