1896.] 



"^11 



THK PI.ANTS OF INISMURRAY, CO. SUGO. 



BY R. LT.OYD PRAKGKR, B.K. 



On June Sth, on the return of the Rockall expedition, the 

 party landed for an hour on Inismurray, famous among 

 antiquarians for its wealth of primitive edifices. Mr. R. M. 

 Barrington and I spent the time in botanizing, and as no 

 botanist has apparently examined this island previously, a 

 short note on its flora may be interesting, even thouo-h that 

 flora is poor and devoid of any special interest. The island 

 is composed of Carboniferous sandstone, and is low and flat. 

 Only a portion is cultivated. The rest consists of stunted 

 heath, marshy in places. In the hour spent on the island, I 

 listed 145 species, almost all of which are plants of universal 

 distribution in Ireland. 



In the meadows and marshy spots, the Purple I^oosestrife 

 (^Ly thrum Salicarid) grew in enormous profusion. It was not 

 yet in flower, but one could imagine the sheets of purple with 

 which these green spots would soon be covered. Amono- the 

 grass, and on the heaths, three Orchids brightened the o-round 

 b}^ their abundance — O. maculata, O. latifolia f?J, and Haben- 

 aria bifolia. The quantity of the last-named plant, coupled with 

 the almost complete absence of its ally H. chloroleiica, was a 

 remarkable feature in the flora of Inismurra}- ; for almost 

 everywhere in Ireland these proportions are reversed. Alono- 

 the edges of the meadows, and on banks, great masses of 

 Royal Fern grew ; it was a surprise to us to find it in such 

 luxuriance in a locality so bleak and wind-swept. The other 

 ferns observed on the island were Polypodium vulgare, Lastrea 

 Filix-mas, L, dilatata, Athyruivi Filix-foefimia, Pteris aquili?ia, 

 2in^AspIen27im marhncm ; the last-named grew among boulders 

 on the exposed western shore. A leaf of Sea-Kale, l3'ino- in a 

 boggy meadow, made me watch for this plant on the stony 

 shores, but it was not seen. The Golden Rod {Solidago 

 virgaurea) grew on dry banks, and in wet places were tufts 

 of CEnanthe crocata. The only plants that grew in the few 

 pools and drains were Apium intv7idat2tvi, Pot. polygvnifolius 

 and Scirpus flidtans ; Peplis portula was stragglino- over 

 muddy ground close at hand. The commonest weed in the 

 corn-fields was Sinapis alba ; Vero7iica Buxbauniii grew with it 



A3 



