92 COLONSAY 



to. Realising the importance of having a clear distinction 

 between local and general information, care has been taken 

 to precede the date of finding the plant only with local 

 matter ; what follows is information collected from various 

 sources, and not referring particularly to the locality. That in 

 connection with orders and genera is of a general character. 



The name of the month refers to the time when the 

 plant was found by the writer in flower. 



Gaelic names in general use but not known to be used 

 locally are enclosed within brackets. 



Names, uses, etc., borrowed from Cameron's Gaelic Names 

 of Plants are marked C. ; those from Withering's English 

 Botany are marked W. ; and names from Hogan's Irish and 

 Scottish Gaelic Names of Herbs, Plants, Trees, etc., are 

 marked I. 



Contractions : 



Ann. = Annual, a plant of one year's duration, e.g. Ground- 

 sel, duckweed, Oats, etc. 



Bi. = Biennial, a plant of two years' duration, e.g. Burdock, 

 Marsh Thistle, Turnip, etc. 



Per. = Perennial, a plant of more than two years' duration, 

 e.g. Daisy, Bracken, Potato, Willow, etc. 



Plants are variable, and, according to their surroundings, 

 some may be annuals while others of the same species are 

 biennials or even perennials. 



The vegetable kingdom is divided into two main groups : 



(1) Phanerogams, or flowering plants. 



(2) Cryptogams, or flowerless plants. 



Cryptogams, which comprise the lower forms of plant life, 

 do not bear manifest flowers nor form seed. They repro- 

 duce themselves by spores, hence they are termed spore 

 plants. Ferns (Froineach) ; Horse-tail (Clo' uisge C.); 



