[December, 1859.] 353 



REMAEKS ON THE FLORA OF IRELAND. 

 By John Sim. 



So much has been said and written by more talented indivi- 

 duals than I respecting the climate and vegetable produce of this 

 truly interesting country, that I am afraid I can bring little to 

 light of a novel or interesting character. I shall however avoid 

 as much as possible repeating what has already appeared respect- 

 ing its Botany in the previous numbers of the ' Phytologist/ and 

 advance nothiug relative to its Flora but what has come under 

 my own personal observation. During a period of almost nine 

 years' uninterrupted residence with my regiment in different parts 

 of the island (from April, 1846, till January, 1855), I had ample 

 opportunity of exploring its Flora. 



The Flora of Ireland approaches more nearly that of England 

 than Scotland. With the vegetation of England I have no per- 

 sonal acquaintance ; with that of the other two countries I am 

 pretty conversant. It is with Ireland, at present, that we have 

 to do. I shall mention only those plants I have seen and gathered 

 in the different counties in which it was my lot to be stationed 

 with my regiment. I first entered Ireland in 1832, and as I 

 travelled from Dublin toFermoy, county Cork, the most common 

 plant appeared to be the common Bramble {Rubus discolor), 

 Buttercups and Daisies not excepted. The former lines the sides 

 of every road, skirts every pathway, is here, is there, and every- 

 where in great abundance. Another very common plant under 

 hedges is the Arum maculatum ; this plant I never remember 

 to have seen wild in Scotland. On the banks of the Blackwater, 

 near Fermoy, the Grape Hyacinth [Muscari racemosum) is fre- 

 quent. If an alien in England, it appears to be there naturalized 

 and well established. The common Pimpernel {Anagallis ar- 

 vensis), so rare about Perth, is plentiful in the cultivated fields 

 around Fermoy. I left Ireland in 1833, and did not return till 

 April, 1846. 



About Dublin Hypericum Androsamum is frequent along 

 the banks of the canal west of Dublin. I left Dublin with 

 my regiment in December, 1847, and came to Limerick, where 

 I set about the study of plants in earnest, and explored the 

 country for miles in different directions, the result of which was 



N. S. VOL. III. 2 z 



