356 



NOTES ON THE FLORA OF EAST ROSS. 

 By G. C. Druce, F.L.S. 



The following notes were made during a visit to the Black Isle 

 of Cromarty, Dingwall, and in a journey from Strathpeffer to the 

 watershed which Mr. Watson fixes as the boundary for the Vice- 

 county of East Ross (106 in ' Topographical Botany'). The Black 

 Isle of Cromarty is familiar to botanists from its being the habitat 

 of Phiguicula alpina, which, thanks to the forethought of the 

 proprietor of Rosehaiigh, Mr. Fletcher, still exists at Avoch, with 

 other bog-plants, and, I am told, Thalictrum alpimim in the walled- 

 in enclosure of bog, amid cornfields under a high cultivation ; and 

 although the reclamation of the bog was extremely expensive — 

 sometimes, according to Dr. Chambers, £40 an acre — the experi- 

 ment has not been financially a failure, while the climate itself has 

 been much improved with the disappearance of morass and bog 

 which not long since covered so large a portion of that part of the 

 island. 



The name Black Isle did not seem appropriate, for as I saw it 

 under a blazing July sun it appeared as bright and cheerful as the 

 Surrey hills, — its clean-looking cornfields, and the i^lentiful roses 

 and abundance of Galium venim ; or as one got on the moorland, 

 covered with Hahenaria bifolia and Orchis incarnata, it afforded a 

 pleasant contrast to the dreary moors of Dalwhinnie and the 

 upper portion of Glen Tilt, which I had previously worked. 



With the exception of Ononis arvensis, Lamium purpureum^ 

 Botrijchium Lunaria, and Equisetum hyemale, the plants in the 

 following list may be taken as additions to Vice-county 106 (East 

 Ross). Those marked (f) are not indigenous : — 



Eanimculus trichophyUiis, Chaix. — Ditch by roadside on moorland 

 between Rosehaugh and Ferintosh, Black Isle. 



IL truncatus, Dum. — Ferintosh, Cromarty. 



Papaver Lecoqii, Lam. — Kessock, Dingwall, Contin. 



Cochlearia officinalis, L. — Dingwall side of Cromarty Firth. 



Cardamine sijlratica, Link. — Brook near Auchterflow, Black Isle; 

 and near Loch Roslik. 



Polygala vulgaris, L. — Garve, Luipmore, &c. ; not so common 

 as depressa. 



P. depressa, Wend. — Rosehaugh, Tor Echiltie, &c. ; frequent. 



Cerastium semidecandrum, L. — Munlochy. 

 j;Malva rotundifolia, L. — Near a house between Kessock and 

 Munlochy. 



Trifolium hyhridum, L. — Roadside, Kessock. 



T. mimis, Relh. — Kessock, Contin. 

 \Vicia sativa, L. — Field-border, Rosehaugh. 

 \hupinus perennis, L. — Shingly bed of River Conan ; well 

 established in several parts of Scotland. 



Ononis arvensis, Auct. — Cromarty side of Firth ; very rare. 



Rosa ruhiffinosa, L. — Kessock ; apparently as wild as canina. 



R. canina, L., suhcristata. — Ferintosh. 



