60 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxvi. 



The most interesting plant as regards Scotland, Hiero- 

 chloe borealis, is not mentioned. We know from Robert 

 Dick that the plant occurs along the Boulder Clay of the 

 Thurso river, but it would have been of interest if the 

 occurrence of the species had been noticed from the geo- 

 logical standpoint. 



Mr. Crampton gives localities for other Caithness plants 

 which are not localised in any of the published lists, as — 

 _ Carex limosa, L. — Small loch in the corrie at Yarehouse, 

 where it grows associated with C. dioica, L., and G. 

 paniculata, L. 



Ranunculus auricomus, L. — Mr. Lillie of Swiney, 

 Lybster, has sent me a specimen of the above species, 

 gathered by one of the children of Boultach School, and 

 brought to Miss Hamilton, the teacher. 



This is an interesting addition to the flora, as it is not 

 on record north of Nairn on the east coast, and of Argyll ! 

 on the west coast. In Sweden its distribution is continuous 

 from Skane to Swedish Lapland, in Norway north to 71° 8', 

 and in Russian Lapland to 69° N. lat. 



It also occurs in the Faroes, but not in Iceland. 



Morphological Notes. By K. von Goebel, Sc.D. (Camb.), 

 LL.D. (St. And.), Director of the Botanic Garden, 

 Munich. (Plate I.) 



I. THE INFLORESCENCES OF THE AMBROSIACE^E. 



The large family of the Composite, as is well known, is 

 one of those groups whose individual representatives, in 

 spite of all their variation, still show such a close agree- 

 ment in the structure of the flowers and the inflorescences 

 that one can offhand recognise them as members of one 

 family. Only a few groups deviate to any great extent, 

 and of these one of the most interesting is the Ambrosiacese. 



Ecologically they are interesting in the manner in which 

 pollination on the one hand and the distribution of the 

 fruit on the other hand are accomplished among them. 



The Composite as a rule exhibit insect-pollination, but 

 the Ambrosiacere have reverted to wind-pollination. 



