Aberdeen, forfar, and Dumfries plant-notes. 169 



Scotland. — H. obtusifolium Backh. This plant which Backhouse 

 describes as from Clova, has practically not been re-discovered. It 

 is not improbable that a H. anglicum form, with oval entire leaves 

 and a yellowish green tint, which we have come across in 1884 and 

 1889, may be the plant which gave occasion to the description of 

 this doubtful species. — H. goihicum Fries. Very abundant and fine 

 last summer in the Clova Valley (90) ; and fine but scarce in Glen 

 Shee (89). — H. prenanthoid.es Vill. In the gorge of the Grey Mare's 

 Tail (72) ; gathered also by Dr. Davidson at Sanquhar two years 

 ago, when it was first recorded for the county. — *H. umbellatumlj. 

 Clova Valley (90). — *£Z. auratum Fries. Unnamed specimens 

 were shown us by Mr. J. T. Johnstone at Moffat (72) from that 

 neighbourhood ; and also sent previously to us by Dr. Davidson, 

 from Sanquhar (72). We gathered this species at Clova also in 

 1887, when it was still regarded as H. rigidum, and recorded under 

 this name in Backhouse's Monograph, and in 1889. 



Veronica Beccabunga L. A very small form between two or 

 three inches high grew beside a reservoir near Braemar (92), at an 

 elevation of about 1400 ft. 



Rhinanthiis Crista-Galli L., var. Drummond-Hayi F. B. White, 

 was the common and frequent form in Glen Doll and Glen Fiagh 

 (90), and was also gathered in two different directions near Braemar 

 (92). 



*Calamintha Clinopodium Benth. Steep rocks by the Grey 

 Mare's Tail Waterfall (72) ; a dwarf form, usually about 8 in. high, 

 with wiry rigid stem, and firm strongly nerved leaves. 



*Betula odorata Bechst., var. parvifolia Wimm. Glen Fiagh 

 (90). This was named for us by Mr. Arthur Bennett. 



Salix Myrsinites x nigricans. Glen Fiagh (90). Among several 

 hybrid or uncertain willows gathered last year, this and another 

 may be safely mentioned. We prefer to grow them for the most 

 part, or obtain further material, that conjecture, however confident, 

 may be backed by confirmatory evidence. This hybrid we gathered 

 at the same spot in a previous year. It is evidently a blend with 

 one of the narrow-leaved Myrsinites forms. The only S. nigricans 

 that we observed either year in the same part of the glen was the 

 type, which grew near at hand, fruiting freely. It is obvious that, 

 since both these species vary much in some of their characters, the 

 cross results where they occur are likely to present even greater 

 variation. — 8. herbacea x Lapponum. We have seen this on three 

 different occasions in a corrie in the Clova district ; but the 

 material gathered in 1884 and 1887 was insufficient for proof, 

 though conjecture was easy. Last summer we found stronger 

 plants, growing close to where 8. herbacea and 8. Lapponum abounded, 

 and no other likely parent was near. This was practically con- 

 clusive. Besides this, cuttings taken in 1887 have flowered at Bourne- 

 mouth in May, 1890 ; the ovary is that of Lapponum, only smaller ; 

 the scale is nearer much to that of herbacea ; so is the style, which 

 seems to wither before it has energy enough to divide its stigmas, 

 though this may be due to too dry a situation. The catkins are 

 produced on leafy peduncles, and are embraced between the topmost 



