105 



Notes on some Plants Collected in the Pyrenees. 



By J. W. Reed. 



{Read June 2\st, 1895.)* 



It has been thought that the series of plants exhibited this 

 evening which were collected in the Central Pyrenees in June and 

 July of 1894, and found at heights varying roughly from 5,000 

 to 9,000 feet, may be of scientific interest to some Members of 

 the Club, and to others serve as a relaxation from the abstruse and 

 severe researches which usually engage their attention. At any rate, 

 the exhibit may more or less usefully help to fill up an evening not 

 otherwise fully occupied. In no wise do these rough and imperfect 

 notes aspire to the dignity of what is known as a " Paper," much 

 less to a place in a Journal amongst critical discussions of the 

 optical theories of the microscope, or of the relation of the refractive 

 indices of mounting media to the resolution of diatoms. 



The plants now exhibited were collected either in the upland 

 meadows of and about Gavarnie, a tiny village in the heart of the 

 great range of the Pyrenees, or on the loftier heights and wilder 

 valleys in its neighbourhood. A few were collected during ascents 

 of the snow-peaks which here abound, but the majority were the 

 fruit of quiet though long rambles on days not devoted to laborious 

 climbing. Our visit to the Pyrenees was mainly for mountaineering 

 and photographic purposes ; but, though we also had some botanical 

 aims, no attempt was made to collect systematically. Whilst a 

 number of plants very common in England were not pressed, those 

 before us may, I suppose, be fairly considered as typical of the 

 particular locality and of its early summer flora as it presents itself 

 to the average traveller. 



I am greatly indebted to Mr. G. Nicholson, the Curator of Kew 

 Gardens, for the careful naming of the various species, for much 



* Mr. Reed wishes it to be understood that this paper was not written for 

 publication, but merely as a running commentary on his exhibition of 

 Pyrenean plants ; nevertheless, at the earnest request of several members, 

 he has consented to allow it to be published. — Ed. 



