288 BRITISH PLANTS 



Linncei, Oxytropis uralensis, Gnaphalium supinum, Vero- 

 nica alpina, Juncus trifidus, Carex vaginata, Salix 

 Myrsinites, 8. reticulata, Athyrium alpestre, Azalea pro- 

 cumbens, Arctostaphylos alpina, Betula nana (1 to 2 feet 

 high). 



Only one alpine is confined to south Britain Lloydia 

 serotina found in one or two places on the Snowdon 

 range. 



Many species of Saxifraga are found on the mountains 

 of west or south-west Ireland, and nowhere else in the 

 British Isles. Of these 8. umbrosa (London-pride), widely 

 scattered, and 8. Geum, confined to Kerry and Cork, are 

 members of the Lusitanian flora (see p. 213) ; 8. hirsuta 

 is found only in Kerry and Cork, 8. elegans only in Kerry ; 

 8. decipiens extends from western Ireland to western 

 Scotland and north Wales ; 8. ccespitosa occurs very 

 rarely in Kerry, Carnarvonshire, Westmorland, and 

 Aberdeen. Arenaria ciliata has its only British station 

 in the Ben Buiben range, west Ireland. 



Other alpines found more or less abundantly in most 

 mountainous districts throughout the British Isles are : 

 Thalictrum alpinum, Draba incana, Cochlearia alpina, 

 Thlaspi alpestre (not in Ireland), Silene acaulis, Cerastium 

 alpinum (not in Ireland), Arenaria verna, Dryas octopetala, 

 Alchemilla alpina, Saxifraga aizoides (rills), S. oppositi- 

 folia, 8. hypnoides, S. stellar is (rills), Sedum Bhodiola 

 (the only succulent alpine plant in this country), Anten- 

 naria dioica, Saussurea alpina, Polygonum viviparum, 

 Oxyria reniformis, Salix herbacea* Empetrum nigrum, 

 Poa alpina, Juniper us communis var. nana, Asplenium 

 viride, Dryopteris montana, Cystopteris fragilis. Confined 

 to northern England and Scotland are : Potentilla Sibbaldi, 

 Epilobium alsinefolium, E. alpinum, Linncea borealis, 

 Galium boreale, Salix Lapponum. 



An interesting feature of the alpine vegetation is the 

 presence of a number of plants found also on the seashore. 

 Thus, Cochlearia grmnlandica, Silene maritima, Armeria 

 maritima, and Plantago maritima are almost as common 

 on damp alpine ledges as on the wind-swept face of a sea- 

 cliff. In other cases the plant is represented by a variety, 

 and not the type e.g., Sagina maritima var. alpina. 

 Plants whose home is in the mountain may extend down 

 to the sea-coast e.g., Draba incana and Oxytropis ura- 



