234 FLORA OF ARRAN. 



in some former age, is in most places thickly covered with a 

 natural growth of oak, ash, birch, hazel, and other trees, and 

 is kept moist by the numerous streams that trickle down its 

 face, or precipitate themselves in cascades from its edge. 

 The shade and humidity thus produced render its vegetation 

 luxuriant and varied; and we find many interesting species 

 growing on or near this line of irregular cliff, some hanging 

 from its wooded sides, some springing rank in the wet caves 

 that pierce it, and some inhabiting the stony and marshy 

 ground at its base. 



Here, among others, occur Veronica montana, Hypericum 

 Androsaemum, Geranium sanguineum, Sanicula europaea, 

 Eupatorium cannabinum, Lycopus europaeus, Listera owtta, 

 Habenaria cJdorantha. Here, too, most of the Arran ferns 

 may be found Polypodium Dryopteris and PJiegopteris, 

 Cystopteris fragilis, Aspidium or Lastrea recurva (foenisecii), 

 Aspidium lobatum and aculeatum, Asplenium marinum, 

 Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense and Wilsoni, and the magni- 

 ficent Osmunda regalia. In enumerating these plants, we do 

 not mean that they are all to be met with in any one spot, 

 but that they all occur in some part or other of the sea cliff, 

 while many abound through the whole of its long extent. 

 Those species which have just been mentioned, with the 

 addition of one or two rarities, such as Epipoctis ensifolia 

 and Thalictrum flavum, form in the main the sylvestral flora 

 of the island, which it is therefore needless to speak of more 

 particularly. Similarly, there is little to distinguish the 

 vegetation of the lower glens from that which has been 

 described as characteristic of the sea cliff and the woods, not, 

 at least, till the point is reached where the larger trees grow 

 scarce, finally giving place to thickets of birch or hazel, or to 

 the open expanse of pasture and moor. Here the aspect of 

 the scene is changed, and plants quite different attract the 

 attention of the botanist. The greensward is gay with the 

 purple Gymnadenia conopsea, as beautiful as it is fragrant, 

 the blue Jasione montana, Pimpinella saxifraga, Gentiana 



