ALPINE VEGETATION ON BEN-Y-GLOE, PERTHSHIRE 229 



however, less numerous than in the Chomophyte Association, or 

 in the groups of the lower slopes of the hills. 



The Cryptogamic Flora, on the contrary, requires much 

 further exploration. In Mr. Tansley's Tyjjes of British Vegeta- 

 tion, the flora of the Bkacomitrium Heath is represented by a list 

 compiled from field notes by K. Smith and C. E. Moss, and from 

 indications in local floras. The only cryptogams mentioned in 

 this list are Bhacomitnum lanuginosuvi, B. ericoidcs, Cetraria 

 islandica, Cladonia rangifcrina and Peltigera canina. It may be 

 remarked in passing that, of the subsidiary species named, Cladina 

 rangiferina was the only one we saw on Ben-y-Gloe. In the list 

 representing the Moss-Lichen Association in the same work (1), no 

 mosses or lichens are included, which is rather suggestive of a 

 certain Shakespearian play produced with the part of Hamlet 

 excised. But the florultB of these associations vary greatly on 

 different mountains, and even on different portions of the same 

 massif, according to the altitude, aspect, degree of moisture, 

 steepness of slope, and rock-constituents. In a more recent work 

 by C. B. Crampton (5), the plateaux debris of quartzite hills in 

 Caithness is stated to contain the following mosses and lichens: — 

 Bhacomitrium lanuginosum, Hyjmum Schreberi, and Cladina, spp. 

 Dr. Moss says {loc. cit.): "The lists of species available at present 

 do not warrant any attempt to draw up complete lists ; as to the 

 lower plants there is little information." 



It was principally for this latter reason that, happening to 

 meet with fine examples of these associations on Ben-y-Gloe, we 

 deemed it advisable to make a few notes on their constituents. 

 This mountain, " the mountain of the mist," attains a greater 

 height and has a finer outline than any other in Perthshire, east 

 of Tay and Garry. It is situated about seven miles north-east of 

 Blair Atholl and rises direct from Glen Tilt. There are two peaks, 

 a western one having an altitude of 3505 ft., and an eastern 

 — known as Carn nan Gabhar or " Cairn Gowar " — rising to 3671 ft. 



We spent but a few hours on the mountain, and owing to 

 thick mist only reached the lower of the two peaks. The ascent 

 was made from Glen Tilt in rain and mist, on May 6th, 1912, the 

 course being up the north-west side of the mountain. The 

 aspect presents very little crag or rock exposure, and loses the 

 interest provided where the chomophytic formation is present. 

 Where this latter exists contiguous to the associations we are 

 dealing with, the species are often reinforced from the crags and 

 show greater variety. 



The lower slopes of Ben-y-Gloe are covered with the usual 

 grass association so common in the Highlands, above which 

 there is a considerable area of heather moor, with, in places, 

 patches of ground dominated by Scirpus caspitosus. In the 

 heather moor the chief Sphagna noted were compact tufts of 

 Sphagnum ruhellum, S. fuscum, and a little S. subnitens, thus 

 differing from our Lancashire moors, on which S. p>apillosum 

 predominates, and S. fnsciim is practically absent. The ling 

 thins out as the ground rises, and above 2500 ft. becomes much 



