368 PLANTS OF LiNDOREs ABBEY. [December, 



Lindores abbey I saw some fine plants of Scrophularia vernaUs, 

 and it likewise occurred at the roadside in several places near to 

 the abbey. This is a rare and disputed species, but whatever 

 may be the opinion of botanists regarding its claim to be native, 

 in my ov/n mind I am quite satisfied that the plant is truly indi- 

 genous, and indeed (at any rate) not rarer (if so rare) as the two 

 plants just quoted. Scrojihularia vernalis is found in several 

 places in Scotland, as at Glen Farg in the Ochils, in Ayrshire, 

 abundant on Moncriefffe Hill, and among and near the ruins of 

 Lindores Abbey. The two latter stations I confirm by personal 

 observation, the two former from- individuals with whom I am 

 acquainted. 



Respecting this plant I must bear my unflinching testimony 

 against its biennial duration as recorded by most of our older 

 writers of the British Floras. This is a most egregious mistake, 

 and seems not to have been detected until the excellent Floras 

 of Babington and Hooker and Arnott made their appearance. 

 These authors most correctly have entered it as perennial, and 

 perennial it is, and no mistake, as confirmed by all the plants 

 of this species at Lindores Abbey. I also noticed among the 

 ruins Malva sylvestris and M. moschata, the former a scarce 

 plant in this neighbourhood, and further north still scarcer. 



Passing from the abbey southwards, for about a quarter of a 

 mile, at the foot of an old stone dike by the margin of a purl- 

 ing stream, we observed several fine plants of Verbascum Lych- 

 nitis hardly out of flower. This is a plant far from being com- 

 mon, as far as I know, in any part of Britain or Ireland. It 

 here grows near the foot of a huge frowning precipice of rock, 

 called Clatchart Craig, forming part of the Ochil range of hills, 

 which begins near Stirling and ends several miles below New- 

 burgh. They are in general of moderate elevation, yet being 

 broken in many places by transverse glens and deep ravines, 

 afford to the practical botanist many rare and interesting plants. 

 The glen called Glen Farg in particular abounds in botanical 

 rarities. Dianthus deltoides is a frequent plant on the sheep- 

 pastures and rocky knolls of the Ochil hills. My botanical 

 friend informed me that Reseda lutea grew by the roadside near 

 to Newburgh, and that the Loch of Lindore, about two miles 

 south-east of Newburgh village, produced Nymph<sa alba and 

 Nuphar lutea, and its bank Lythrum Salicaria, a very rare plant 

 in Scotland except in the west Highlands, 



