Traiusactions. 147 



111 the beginning of last August I had a short tricycle run 

 through the south of the county, which afforded me an opportunity 

 of extending my knowledge of our flora, and also of obtaining 

 some specimens for my herbarium. I will mention only the less 

 common plants which came under notice. I am well aware the 

 majority, if not all of them, will be known to Dumfries botanists, 

 although one or two of them do not seem to have been hitherto 

 recorded. On the shore below Glencaple very little search 

 sufliced to reveal the delicate flowers of Aiuigallis tenella, half 

 hidden in the wet and spongy parts of the turf, whilst close 

 beside were the pearl-like blossoms of Sagina nodosa. CEmmtlie 

 Lachenalii was there the characteristic umbellifer. BlijsmiLS 

 rufus struggled for possession of the drier parts of the 

 ground with considerable success. Nowhere on the shore did 

 I notice it so abundant as there. On reaching the ruins of 

 Carlaverock Castle, I think the most striking feature, botanically 

 speaking, is to be seen in the moat, where the tall and handsome 

 grass. Glycerin aqiuUica, forms the greater portion of vegetation 

 in the outer edge of the water. Tlie adjoining marsli was quite 

 gay with the bright colours of Genista tinctoi-ia and Betonica offici- 

 nalis. Carum verticillahim, liberally intermingled, gave an air of 

 refinement to a rather beautiful group of plants. Harex puludosa 

 is tolerably plentiful here and (Enanthc fistulosa likewise. Furthei- 

 round the shore the littoral species increase, and seem fairly well 

 represented. Carex extensa is common on the shore about Ruthwell, 

 and here also I found Carex vulpina growing in isolated tufts by the 

 edges of ditches or drains, which intersect the merse. Bentham 

 remarks of this Carex that where it occurs in Scotland, 

 it is chiefly a coast plant. I have an immature Carex taken from 

 Locliar Moss at Racks Station a year previous, which, after com- 

 paring with this, I take to be the same species. Salicvrnia 

 herbacea is found in the tidal portions of the shore here. A little 

 more inland I gathered Valerianella oliioria, Drosera intermedia, 

 and Lycopus europctus. In a pond close at hand were Potamogeton 

 crisptis and one of the Batrachian Ranunculi, R. floribundus. 

 Another of these, R. peltatus, I also found in a ditch with Simr- 

 ganium simplex and I^eronica Anagallis. The latter plant I mention 

 only because, although a widely distributed one, I have never 

 seen in Upper Nithsdale, having gathered it, however, in 

 Moffatdale. Anchusa arvensis, as a weed in a corn field, was 

 gathered near the shore at Ladyliall. Any fuither notes were 



