NOTES ON HIGHLAND PLANTS. 179 



The facts I have attempted to show are these : — 1. That nearly 

 allied forms, such as P. Zizii and P. heterophyllus, certainly cross. 

 2. That these cross-bred plants are sometimes fertile. 3. That 

 their offspring varies from seed just as artificially-produced 

 hybrids do. 4. That if we consider these hybrids as mongrels, i.e., 

 as the offspring of varieties instead of species, yet no such doubt 

 can attach to P. fluitans, the result of lucens x natans, which 

 hybrid, though usually barren, may also occasionally be fertile ; 

 and 5, That Potamogetons may progress from absolute sterility, 

 to more or less complete fertility, under the influence of extended 

 time and favourable conditions. 



If my contention is correct, I think we may then safely assume 

 that crossing of "species" has been, and still is, one of the 

 methods by which other species are fashioned. 



NOTES ON HIGHLAND PLANTS. 

 By Rev. E. S. Maeshall, M.A., F.L.S., and F. J. Hanbury, F.L.S. 



We spent a fortnight together during the second half of last 

 July ; the places visited being Kingshouse and Inveroran, in the 

 " Black Mount" district of Argyle (vice-county 98), and Tyndrum 

 and Crianlarich, Mid-Perth (v.c. 88). Special attention was paid 

 to Hieracia, a number of which were collected, several being forms 

 not yet identified. A few references are made to plants found 

 by one or both of us in previous years. After we had parted 

 company, some things of interest were gathered by E. S. M. in 

 Corrie Ardran, Glen Dochart, and on Meall-na-Saone, Glen 

 Lochay, which was ascended from Luib ; and a short excursion to 

 Ben-a-chroin, at the head of Glen Falloch, also yielded new 

 stations for some Perthshire plants. We place this in v.c. 87 (W. 

 Perth), in accordance with Watson's map. We have to acknowledge 

 help from Professors Babington and Hackel, as well as from 

 Messrs. Beeby, Bennett, Cosmo Melvill, Townsend, the Rev. E. F. 

 Linton, and Dr. Buchanan White. 



We believe plants marked * to be unrecorded for the vice- 

 county. 



Ranunculus hederaceus L. Kingshouse, at 800 feet. — R. flam- 

 mula L., var. radicans Nolte, is abundant and well-marked on 

 the gravelly shores of Loch Tulla, Inveroran. Var. petiolaris 

 Lange, was again collected near Kingshouse, this time in good 

 fruit. The carpels are rather larger than those of var. radicans, 

 but do not materially differ. We are, however, by no means con- 

 vinced that the plant is not a distinct species. The peculiar 

 Littorella-like root-leaves (retained under cultivation) are totally 

 different from those of typical Flammida, and are very evanescent, 

 mostly disappearing before the fruit ripens. The whole plant 

 is remarkably brittle and upright, and, among the many specimens 

 which we examined, wo did not find a single intermediate or 



