I9I3- CoLGAx. — Burnt Ground Flora of Killincy. 93 
in short, will be the final condition of floral eqnilibrium 
arrived at ? 
It may, I think, be asserted with confidence that the now 
dominant cryptogams will before long give way to the higher 
plants, and for this amongst other reasons that their present 
dom'nance is largely the result of abnormal climatic con- 
ditions. The summer of 19 12 was, in fact, a remarkably 
w,et one in Co. Dublin, and generally throughout Ireland, 
and should the summer of this year prove to be one of 
average dryness, then the perennial phanerogams may be 
expected to gain rapidly on the annual cryptogams. The 
open spaces will more and more be invaded by the already 
well-es' ablished grasses, by the Foxglove and by Seduni 
angliciim and Galuini saxatile ; later on the Bracken and 
the moorland grasses and sedges such as Agrostis canina, 
Festuca ovina and Carex binervis will enlarge their domain, 
the gorse shoots and the shoots of the Lmg and Purple 
Heather will rapidly increase in size and in number, while 
the annual phanerogams will be slowly crowded out ; and 
so the fades of the flora will gradually change and a reversion 
to the vegetable status quo ante will set in. If not this year, 
then the next, sooner or later the first steps in this reversion 
wi 1 become manifest. But the reversion, when it is finally 
brought about will not be a complete one. Here and there 
a young wind -borne Sycamore or Birch or a young Elder 
sprung from a bird-sown seed will maintain its ground, so 
that an element of difference will mark off the new vegetable 
equilibrium from the old. 
How much of truth there may be in this forecast, 
the record here given of the state of the Killiney Hill 
renascene flora at the opening of the year 1913, will enable 
the future observer to decide. 
Sandycovc, Co. Dublin. 
