Dk. Arxott"s Botanical Excursion to the Rhinns of GaUoiuaif. 53 



than that number, the expenditure for a car will be rather heavy, unless 

 when they have abundance of time in hand, and choose to walk, or wait the 

 time of starting of the Stranraer, Drumore, and Port Logan coach, when 

 unquestionably two will enjoy more comforts than any greater number. 



After breakfast we started for the Mull, along the coast. The distance 

 by the road is probably only about five miles, but we found it increased 

 to nine or ten by following the sinuosities of the shore. 



Not far from Dnimore, in the bay, we found Glaucium lideum rather 

 scarce. Polygonum Roberti, Atrvplex laclniata, and another Ati'iplex which 

 presented so many different appearances, that I could make nothing of 

 them, even by the aid of Babington ; some were erect, some prostrate, 

 some assurgent : and the form of the perianth (or bracteas, as Moquin 

 Tendon, perhaps properly, considers them,) of the female flower was so 

 variable, that I was forced to come to the conclusion that aU were states 

 of A, 2Jatida. As to Polygonum Roberti Loisl. (the P. Rail of Bab.) 

 it is known very readily from P. amculare by its pale coloured patulous 

 perianth, and large dark coloured shining seed-vessel, which projects con- 

 siderably beyond the perianth. Mr. Hewett Watson, has lately suggested 

 that it is a mere variety of P. maritimum, a subject on which I can 

 scarcely pronounce an opinion, from dried specimens, and those that I my- 

 self collected of P. maritimum abroad, were too little advanced to enable 

 me to judge of its striking first-sight character. The difference, however, 

 indicated in oui- books is far from satisfactory, and is taken from what 

 we know to vary in other allied species. It is singular that Sir W. 

 Hooker in his two last editions of the British Flora, says, that the fruit 

 is shorter than the perianth, although in the former editions, and in the 

 English Flora, it is characterised (as var. /3 of P. aviculare) by fruit longer 

 than the perianth. The British P. maritimum, (fi'om Jersey) may possibly 

 be only a form of P. Roberti, and different from the true one of the south 

 of Europe : of it I am not sure if I possess specimens, (if so they are at 

 present mislaid) : the one from the Mediten-anean has glaucous leaves, 

 which blacken by drying, and short joints in proportion to the stipules. 

 My friend Meisner, in his monograph, says of the P. maritimum, that it is 

 found also in the west of France, North America, Cape of Good Hope, and 

 perhaps in India. I fear he has jumbled several things together ; and the 

 west of France plant may be either our P. Roberti, or the Jersey P. marilimum. 

 I do not seem to possess any thing exactly agreeing with P. maritimura as 

 defined by that botanist, except from the Mediterranean. The P. aviculare 

 is a very variable plant, and has a wide geographical distribution. 



At Killiness point is a large bank of drifted sand, held together by 

 Psamma (or Ammophila') arenaria, and Triticum junceum; here the 

 Calystcgia Soldanella is found, and also Anacaurptis jyyramklcdis. This I 

 believe to be the only certain spot in Scotland for the latter, and the local- 

 ity is extremely interesting, in so far as it differs entirely from that usually 

 assigned it, viz.: "grassy hills or banks, especially where the soil is 

 chalky." — Sm. We saw a considerable number of specimens past flower j 



