192 WILD FLOWERS. 



the blossom being smooth. In the British Isles it 

 is peculiar to Ireland ; as the only British habitat of 

 the P. alpma is Scotland. Even in Ireland the 

 P. grandifolia is only known to occur at Kenmare, 

 Cork, and Dingle Bay. It is by no means a com- 

 mon plant anywhere, though growing freely in the 

 above-named places, in the Pyrenees, and in some 

 other congenial spots. 



The alpine butter-wort (P. alplna), is extremely 

 rare even in Scotland, the only recorded localities 

 for it being the Isle of Skye, and the bogs of Augh- 

 terflow and Shannon, in Koss-shire. The fourth re- 

 maining species, the pale butter-wort (P. lusitdnica), 

 though abundant in Ireland, the Hebrides, and the 

 extreme north of Scotland, gradually lessens in fre- 

 quency as we retire from the western coasts, and 

 is unknown in the eastern counties of England.* 

 ^ The botanical name of the pinguicula takes its 

 rise from the unctuous sensation imparted by the 

 leaves, arising from the somewhat glutinous secre- 

 tion already described as exuding from the pores ; 

 being derived from the Latin word pinguis, fat. The 

 German, French, Italian, Spanish, and other names, 

 have also a similar origin ; and so, undoubtedly, has 

 the English name of butter- wort, but not as learned 

 botanists and other high authorities have supposed, 

 because the plant is used to curdle milk instead of 

 rennet ; for I beg to take a woman's privilege, and 

 to suggest that even though the greater portion of 

 butter contained in any quantity of milk may pass 



* These localities are given from the " British Flora " of 

 Sir W. J. Hooker. 



