232 The Irish Naturalist. [September, 



NOTES 



BOTANY, 



PHANEROGAMS. 



IVIatrlcarta discoldea In Ireland. 



In the course of an excursion to New Grange and Monasterboice, made 

 on the 28th June last, I came across this aggressive alien in several 

 stations both in Louth and Meath, in neither of which counties does it 

 appear to have been observed previously. It was noticed for the first 

 time that day about a mile beyond Drogheda by the side of the road 

 leading to Oldbridge, and a couple of miles farther on, at Oidbridge 

 itself, appeared again in a deserted quarry close by the Boyne monument. 

 Both of these stations are in county Louth. Passing into county Meath 

 just beyond Oldbridge, the plant again turned up on the roadside near 

 Dowth and re-appeared in considerable quantity between Dowth and 

 New Grange. Soon after leaving New Grange for Mellifont and 

 INIonasterboice, the plant made its fifth and last appearance for the day, 

 this time at Rossan, where it occurred in great profusion, covering the 

 roadsides with a characteristic carpet of greenish yellow. So far the 

 plant has been observed in the following nine Irish counties: — Dublin, 

 Louth, Meath, Westmeath, King's Co., Roscommon, Galway, Mayo, and 

 Sligo, its area of distribution forming a broad band stretching right 

 across Central Ireland. Records from Northern and Southern Ireland 

 are still wanting. Appearances all point to its independent introduction 

 into numerous localities, from none of which the plant has yet had time 

 to spread very widely. Further observation will no doubt show that the 

 isolated centres of distribution in which it has alread}^ made a lodgment 

 are much more numerous than would appear from existing records. 



Dublin. • NaThaniei, Coi^GAN. 



To Mr. Colgan's Meath station I can add three others — Navan, Drumree. 

 and Hill of Down. To his list of counties three others may be added — 

 Monaghan, where it was recently observed by Mr. A. Somerville, and 

 Longford and Cavan, where I noted it this season. It will be seen that 

 the invasion of Ulster by this enterprising alien is now fairly begun. 



R. Lt<oyd Prap;ger. 



Rediscovery of Poa compressa at Londonderry. 



On July 4th I gathered this grass on a wall about half a mile further 

 north than the "Old Walls." It is growing in considerable quantity. 

 Mr. S. A. Stewart very kindl)- identified it for me. 



Mary J. LEKBODY. 

 Londonderrv. 



