Botaiiv- 109 



Antrim, which contains 37 out of 45 species, Down falHng 

 considerably below this number. Of Mumonian plants, on 

 the contrary, out of 66 species only 9 are in our district, of 

 which 8 are confined to l)ovvn, and the remaining i, Carex 

 muricata, to Antrim. Of Lagenian or eastern plants we 

 have a good representation, 28 species occurring out of 49, 

 while the Connacian or western group of 63 species is 

 represented by only 8 plants. 



Certain plants which are widely distributed in Ireland are 

 absent from the north-east. These are species which are 

 characteristic of the south, west, or centre of the country, 

 and many of them have a distinct preference for a limy soil. 

 The most remarkable absentee is the Cowslip, found in 

 almost every county in Ireland except those of the north- 

 east, in which it occurs only as an escape from cultivation. 

 A few of the other most conspicuous absentees are listed 

 below : the number appended to each shows in how many 

 of the 40 Irish county-divisions it is known to occur : 



Lastrea spinulosa ... 34. Orobanche Heder.x ... 24. 

 PCentiana Amarella ... 29. Tragopogon pratensis ... 22. 

 *Linaria minor ... 27. Festuca Myuros ... 22. 



Ophrys apifera ... 26. Centaurea Scabiosa ... 21. 



Chlora perfoliata ... 25. Orchis Morio ... 20. 



Leontodon hispidus... 24. 



■ To ascertain the commonest British plants absent from 

 the district, we have recourse to the list of species arranged 

 in order of frequency in Cybele Bi-iiannica, iv, 234. Of the 

 first 300 species, all grow in our district. Of the fourth 

 hundred, five are wanting, of which one. Genista angiica, is 

 absent from Ireland : 



Genista angiica. Gentiana Amarella. 



Ornithopus perpusillus. Primula veris. 



Tragopogon pratensis. 



Of the fifth hundred, eight are wanting, of which the four 

 first enumerated are absent from Ireland, at least as natives : 



Ranunculus hirsutus. Corydalis claviculata. 



Helianthemum vulgare. Centaurea Scabiosa. 



Ononis spinosa. Calamintha Acinos. 



Calamintha Clinopodium. Galeopsis Ladanum. 



