Botany of the Craigmillar District. 137 



though noted in this locahty by Dr Greville and other 

 early botanists. The Common Reed (the Anindo 

 Phragmites of Linnaeus), which adorns the sides of 

 the loch with its tall stems and beautiful inflorescence, 

 is also well worth notice. With the exception, 

 perhaps, of Lochend, the Common Mare's-tail (Hip- 

 piiris vulgaris) is found nowhere else in the Edinburgh 

 flora except in Duddingston Loch, where it is abun- 

 dant. Some good plants have disappeared from the 

 loch through the cleaning out of the too luxuriant 

 vegetation, or other causes. Thus the Water-Soldier 

 {Stratiotes abides)^ noted both by Mr Maughan and 

 the late Professor Balfour as growing here, has now 

 been lost,^ Several species of Water-Crowfoot are, 

 however, still present ; and the Marsh Marigold, 

 belonging to the same family as the Crowfoots, is 

 very conspicuous in the early summer months, with 

 its dark-green leaves and golden-yellow flowers. Last 

 — and least — the ubiquitous tiny Duckweed, or Water 



^ It may be mentioned that this introduced plant has thor- 

 oughly established itself in an old marl-pit near Davidson's 

 Mains, now filled with water, where it promises soon to choke 

 out all other vegetation. 



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