THOMAS HOPKIRK OF DALBETH. 211 



expanded, petals very much inflated, red." Though 

 Kennedy does not specially distinguish it, it is, I 

 think, by far the commoner form in the Clydesdale 

 district, if not indeed in Scotland, and differs 

 markedly from the ordinary officinalis. 



The tuberous Comfrey (Symphytum tuberosum) is 

 recorded as " common," — a correct term locally for 

 this somewhat rare British plant. 



EcMum vulgare occurred only very occasionally then 

 as now, and he adds significantly "generally near 

 houses or gardens." 



The Cowslip (Primula veris) he mentions as grow- 

 ing about Bothwell and Woodhall, but introduced. 

 In a note he adds that "it is not to be found 

 indigenous in the neighbourhood of Glasgow." 

 Strange as it may seem that such a common 

 English flower is not properly to be classed as 

 belonging to our district, the fact remains, and 

 affords another instance of the vagaries in the 

 geographical distribution of plants. He also states 

 that "from recent experiments made at Dalbeth 

 there seems no reason to doubt that the Primula 

 elatior is a hybrid between the vulgaris and veris'* 

 This observation is correct, if by P. elatior is meant 

 the Common Oxli}^, as was no doubt the case; but 

 there is a P. elatior, Jacq., the Bardfield Oxlip, which, 

 though it closely resembles the hybrid, is a true 

 species. Darwin enters fully into this subject in 

 chapter ii. of his Different Forms of Flowers. 



Lysimachia vulgaris occurred then as now occasion- 

 ally in the district. It is still found on "Kenmuir 

 banks," one of his stations. 



He records Lysimachia thyrsiflora, on the authority 

 of the Flora Br^itannica, as occurring "on the edge 

 of a lake to the north of Glasgow;" but adds in a 

 note : " I have very often sought for this plant on 

 the edges of all the lakes near Glasgow without 

 success." Here we may pleasantly reflect that 

 Hopkirk did not quite know everything about the 

 plants of the district. I think there can be little 



