THOMAS HOPKIRK OF DALBETH. 20^ 



these ruins and in the surrounding grounds that 

 have beyond question been introduced, the doubt 

 remains whether this is not also strictly a stranger 

 that has been induced to settle there. 



A smaller variety of Alchemilla vulgaris he records 

 as occurring on the Cathkin Hills, having more 

 pubescent and silky leaves than the ordinary form^ 

 This he terms variety minor. It is probably the 

 variety now usually designated montana, the Alche- 

 milla montanay Willd. 



Sagina apetala, which he gives as common, is pre- 

 sumably an erroneous entry, as there is every reason 

 to suppose that it did not then occur in the Clyde 

 district any more than now. Kennedy says " the 

 Sagina apetala, described in the district by Hopk. 

 and Patr. is S. subulata." This may be correct, but 

 in the case of Hopkirk, from his mentioning the 

 plant as common, it appears to be uncertain whether 

 it was not rather some form of >S. procuinhens that 

 he meant. Under any circumstance, >S. subulata, 

 Wimmer, had not been in his time, and was not for 

 many years after, recognised as a British plant. 



Allseed (Radiola millegrana) is stated to grow 

 "about Langside," on the authority of Dr. Brown > 

 and Hopkirk himself appears to have found it 

 plentifully on the roadside between Dumbarton and 

 Helensburgh. Hennedy found it in Fossil Marsh in 

 a cutting, and it is frequent near the coast, but 

 readily overlooked from its inconspicuousness. 



His list of the species of Potaviogetoii virtually 

 agrees with those we still recognise in the district. 

 His P. fluitans is now usually known as rufescens. 

 His P. compressuTu is probably the variety compressus 

 of the species pusillus. P. oblongus was then included 

 in P. natans, of which it seems at most only a sub- 

 species. There is thus really no difference between 

 his list and that of Hennedy, so far as these plants, 

 go. He mentions, however, a variety of lucens as 

 occurring m Bardowie Loch ("folio angusto, pellucido,. 

 fer^ gramineo"). No variety of lucens is referred to 



