296 2 he Irish Naturalist, [Nov., 



NOTES. 



BOTANY. 



MUSCINE^, 

 Moss Exchange Club. — A proposal was made in Science Gossip for 

 December, 1895, and in the Irish Naturalist and Journal of Botany for 

 February, 1896, by Rev. C. H. Waddell to organise a Club on the lines of 

 the Botanical and Watson Exchange Clubs, for the exchange of Mosses 

 and Hepaticae. The response proved that the want of such a Society was 

 widely felt, and it has now been got into working order. Twenty-two 

 members have joined, and the parcels sent in for the first distribution 

 will soon be distributed. It has not been possible this term to do more 

 than exchange the plants sent in. In future it is hoped to obtain the 

 assistance of referees to name doubtful and difficult plants, also to pub- 

 lish lists and an annual Report. Its object is to help beginners in the 

 study of these lowly but interesting forms of vegetation, as well as to 

 prove a means of communication and help to more advanced students. 

 In this way it may prove instrumental in preparing the way for the 

 publication of a new edition of the I^ondon Catalogue of British Mosses 

 and Hepaticae, the want of which is a serious hindrance to the advance 

 of Bryology in this country. 



PHANEROGAMS. 

 Alchemllla vulgaris L. and Its segregates.— Very little 

 progress has been made as yet in our knowledge of the distribution of 

 the Alchemilla vulgaris group in Ireland. The restricted form which is 

 regarded as the type of this aggregate species extends in Great Britain 

 from the south coast to the Orkneys, occurring in numerous counties ; 

 in Ireland the counties from which I have seen specimens are three, 

 Westmeath, Clare, and Antrim. It appears to be very scarce in the 

 latter county, where Mr. S. A. Stewart informs me the other two forms 

 are frequent. The subglabrous plant A. alpestris, Schmidt, occurs in 

 Antrim, and near L. Salt, Donegal ; I have several notes of its occurrence 

 in the former county ; and it must be found in many others, since it 

 ranges in Great Britain from Cardigan and Derby (not to mention 

 Sussex, for fear of some mistake in the label of the specimen which 

 professedly comes from that county) northwards to Inverness and Mull, 

 The other British form, A. filicaulis, Buser, is known to me from Co. 

 Waterford, Co. Cork (twice seen from Fermoy), Kerry, and Antrim. In 

 Great Britain this has been noted for many counties from the south coast 

 northwards to Perthshire. The distribution of A. vulgaris forms, it will 

 be seen, is very imperfectly known as yet for Ireland ; and I shall be 

 pleased to have specimens sent me, on loan or otherwise, which may 

 aid in extending the range of any of the segregates. 



Edward F, I^inTon, Crymlyn, Bournemouth. 



