82 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



frequent in some parts of our district, such as Shielhill Glen and 

 Target Glen. 



I shall now mention a few Carices which are to he met with in 

 the circumscribed area under review. Carer dioica is found on the 

 hills behind Greenock, .Shielhill Glen, and other places ; C. teretius- 

 cula is got in a wet meadow by the side of the Inverkip road near 

 Ravenscraig ; C. aquatilis, var. Watsoni of Syme, is found in Shiel- 

 hill Glen; C. j>e.ndida is also found in the same glen; C. riparia 

 grows in a meadow near Dunrod Castle. A reference to a few 

 Grasses will conclude the list of flowering plant. Setaria viridis 

 I found on some rubbish in the neighbourhood of Greenock, being- 

 no doubt an outcast. Avenafatua was got in a corn-field near the 

 Whinhill ; A. pubescens is found in Shielhill Glen near the middle 

 of the glen. L&ptumts filiformis, var. incurvatus, grows in a meadow 

 by the shore between Fort-Matilda and Gourock. I found this 

 plant some years ago, and though not yet included in Hennedy's 

 Clydesdale Flora, there can be no doubt about its being indigenous. 

 This grass presents us with a good example of the law of compensa- 

 tion ; the spikelets which are lateral have only one glume, the part 

 of the rachis opposite the spikelet taking the place of the second 

 glume, but the terminal spikelet, which cannot get protection from 

 the rachis, has two glumes. 



I will now notice one or two of the higher Cryptogams, which 

 will conclude the present list. Cryptogramma crispa I found near 

 Kilmalcolm, wdiere it was discovered many years ago, but I am afraid 

 it is now almost if not altogether extinct. Aspidium angulare is got 

 at Gourock and the Cloch. Asplenium viride grows in Shielhill 

 Glen and by the side of the Eouten Burn near Loch Thorn. We 

 get the Adder's tongue, Ophioglossum valgatum, near the Roman 

 Bridge. The Moonwort, Botrichium Lunaria, is found on the hills 

 behind Greenock, at Gourock, and other places in the district. The 

 Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis, which used to be found near Gourock 

 is now extinct — exterminated I should say. It is much to be wished 

 that something could be done to put a stop to the extermination of 

 plants for mere pecuniary gain. The only other Cryptogam I will 

 mention is the Great Water-horsetail, Equisetum Telmateia, got in 

 Shielhill Glen, where it grows most luxuriantly; one plant I got 

 measured fully six feet in length. 



It will be observed from what has been said that a good many 

 interesting plants are found about Greenock and neighbourhood, 



