1907. PRAEGER. — The Flora of Inishturk. 117 



The flora of Lough Coolaknick is extremely poor, and con- 

 sists mainly of Chara fragilis, which is present in all the lakes. 

 The western group is distinctly more interesting. Here 

 Lobelia Dorlma?ina ) Spatganiiun natans, Isoetes lacustris, Nitclla 

 opaca (?) grow, the first two in several stations. 



The Maritime Area. — This divides itself into two vegetations, 

 inhabiting respectively cliff and sward. On the cliffs which 

 fringe the northern and western shores, Sedum Rhodiola is 

 the most abundant plant, growing in unusual profusion, and 

 sometimes extending, like Asplenium marinum, to rocks in the 

 interior of the island. With it are the usual sea-cliff plants — 

 Cochlearia officinalis, Beta maritima, Asplenium marinum, and 

 much Angelica sylvestris, Matricaria inodora, and Rumex 

 Acetosa. Low rocks on the more sheltered east and south 

 shores yield Crithmum maritimum, Glaux maritima, [uncus 

 Gerardi, /. mantimns, Carex extensa, C. distans. 



A band of varying width along the cliffy shores, and a large 

 area at the west end of the island, is occupied by dense 

 Plantago sward, as smooth as if shaved with a razor. This is 

 often composed practically entirely of P. maritima and P. 

 Coronopus ; but has usually various other ingredients, of which 

 some of the most frequent are P. lanccolata, Radiola linoides, 

 Cerastium tetrandrum, Sagina maritima, S. procumbens, Hydro- 

 cotyle vulgaris, Anagallis tenclla, Carex flava, Festuca ovina. 

 The appearance of this formation, stretching like a close 

 green carpet between the rocky knolls, even at a considerable 

 distance from the sea, is very remarkable. There is no doubt 

 that this a truly halophile flora, for a windy day even in 

 summer sends flecks of foam flying all over the island, 

 while in winter gales the whole of Inishturk is beaten by salt 

 spray. 



Botanical Exploration. 

 The botany of Inishturk has not previously been systemati- 

 cally explored. In 1872 Mr. William Macmillan, Inspector of 

 National Schools, landing on the island in the course of his 

 professional duties, picked up close to the landing-place a 

 plant which looked " very like a stunted broad-leaved 

 willow." 1 This he sent to S. A. Stewart, who told him of the 



1 W. Macmillan, in lilt., August, J906. 



