36 The Irish Naturalist. 



5. H11.1. Rkgion. — Includes the granite and basalt hills of 

 the south-east, and the adjoining portion of the Silurians in 

 the south-west. The hills are somewhat isolated, with flat 

 stretches of poor land between. There is, as before remarked, 

 a poverty of mountain plants, Selagi7iella spinosa being the 

 only species confined to the higher grounds. Compared with 

 the northern bog district, we find Ulex europcuus replaced by 

 U. gallii, and Myosotis paltistris by M. repeals. The higher 

 cultivated ground is full of Raphaiius 7^apha7iistrum, Lotus 

 major, Chrysantheuizmi segetzcvi, which are not abundant north 

 of the Silurian area. Viola tricolor, Teucrium scorodoiiia^ 

 Jasione montana, Lepidium smithii, are also characteristic 

 plants. The fine mountain mass of Slieve Gullion is dis- 

 appointingly poor in highland species. The following is a list 

 of the plants observed on the summit (1,893 feet) : — Poteyitilla 

 tormentilla, Galium saxaJile, Vacchiiimi viyrtillus, V. vitis-idosa, 

 Callufia, Erica cifierea, Empetrum, Luzula erecta, L. maxima, 

 /uncus squarrosus, Eriophoruni vaginatu77i, Scirpus ccespitosus, 

 Carex pilulifera, C. bi7iervis, Aira fiexuosa, Agrostis ca7ii7ia, 

 Festtica ovi7ia, Nardus, Lastrea dilatata. 



The Tertiary basalts of the north-east appear to effect no 

 change in the flora. This is accounted for by the fact that 

 the characteristic plants of the Antrim and Derry basalts are 

 all, or almost all, hill plants, flourishing on the steep escarp- 

 ments which fringe the plateau. The low fertile surface of 

 the basalt in Armagh furnishes no habitat for these. 



The shores of the estuary of the Newry River yield, of 

 course, a group of maritime species not found elsewhere in 

 the county. Oiih.es^ Beta viariti77ia, Obio7ie portulacoides, and 

 Lepturus filifor77iis, are the only plants worthy of note. 



While the lists which follow have no claim to be considered 

 exhaustive, for it is not possible to examine five hundred square 

 miles of ground in three weeks, I believe they convey, never- 

 theless, a pretty accurate idea of the nature and extent of 

 the flora of Co. Armagh ; and while there can be no doubt 

 that additional stations will in time be found for a number of 

 the rarer plants, I do not anticipate that more than thirty or 

 thirty-five species will ultimately be added to the flora of the 

 county. I am well aware that the brambles, roses, willows, 

 and pondweeds require further study, and in the sedges there 

 are yet still some blanks to be filled. Among the plants which 



