VIl] MOORLAND ASSOCIATIONS 191 



this, the only view obtainable of the summit as a whole, is dull 

 and uninspiring in the extreme. 



From the standpoint of floristic botany, the Peak is un- 

 interesting ; still, it is of interest to the ecologist as it provides 

 many problems in the succession of plant associations. 



The following plants occur on the plateau or uppermost 

 slopes of the Peak: — 



Dominant species 

 Vaccinium Myrtillus 



Locally sub-dominant species 



Rubus Chamaemorus Empetrum nigrum 



Vaccinium Vitis-idaea^ 



Occasional or locally abundant species 



Potentilla erecta^ Nardus striatal 



Galium saxatile^ Eriophorum angustifolium 



Calluna vulgaris ^ Juncus squarrosus^ 



Molinia caerulea^ J. effusus^ 



Local or rare species 



"Lycopodium spp." Deschampsia flexuosa* 



Blechnum spicant^ Scirpus caespitosus' 



Nephrodium dilatatum^^ Eriophorum vaginatum 



" Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi " " Carex dioica " 



Erica Tetralix^ C. curta 



Festuca ovina^ "Listera cordata" 



Bare Peat 



As the process of peat-denudation proceeds, the members of 

 this retrogressive plant association gradually succumb to the 

 changing conditions, until the "peat-hags" become almost or 

 quite bare of plants. At this stage, there is nothing to hold 

 the peat together; and it is washed and whirled about by 

 every rainstorm, and by the waters of melting snow. Such bare 

 peaty summits are of great extent on Black Hill, Holme Moss 

 (cf. Smith and Moss, 1903 : 382), on parts of the plateau of 

 the Peak, and occur to a greater or less extent on most of 

 the exposed summits of the Pennines. Almost the only plants 



^ Chiefly at the edges of the Peak. - Confined to stream sides. 



