330 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



Report on the State of the Alpine Flora in Breadalbane 

 during the last Week of July, 1902. 



By Peter Ewing, F.L.S. 



[Read 26th August, 1902.] 



For many years now it has been my habit to note the condition 

 of our Scottish alpine flora in the field during the month of 

 July, either in the Highlands of Perthshire or Forfarshire. This 

 year my investigations were confined to the Breadalbane dis- 

 trict, and it seemed exceptionally interesting, in view of the 

 weather conditions, to make a comparison between the appear- 

 ance of the flora of the uplands — especially the forms that come 

 under the designation of alpine plants — and that of the valleys 

 and low-lying country beneath. 



Owing to the prevalence of easterly winds and the want of 

 sunshine during the greater part of the spring and summer 

 months, the growth of vegetation was very greatly retarded in 

 the low country, and the same result, it was curious to observe, 

 was generally apparent among the alpine forms also, in spite 

 of the fact that the conditions requisite for their growth vary 

 considerably from those required for low-country forms. For 

 instance, the point at which many of them begin to grow is 

 very near the freezing point of water, as in the case of 

 Saxifraga oppositifolta, which may be seen flowering among 

 the icicles at the Falls of Clyde, or the Azalea procumbens, 

 before the snow has altogether disappeared from the ground on 

 which it is growing. In the crevices of the rocks, or on the 

 slopes sheltered from the cold wind, these plants might have 

 been expected to be well advanced, but such was found not to 

 be the case. All the plants were late; in fact, when the short 

 period which these alpine forms have for flowering is taken into 

 consideration, they were very late indeed. In many cases it 

 seemed doubtful, indeed, if they would be able to ripen their 

 seed this season. 



