238 



A BOTANICAL REPORT FOR 1004. 



Pa' FRKD HAMII/rON DAVEY, F.L.S. 



The report which I lay before you to-day is one of the most 

 noteworthy which it has been my privilege to bring to any 

 meeting of this institution. Last year, among other items of 

 information, I submitted particulars of a number of plants which 

 during the year had, for the first time, been found in the county. 

 Interesting as some of these discoveries were, and necessaiy as it 

 was to place them on record, only a few of them will find a 

 permanent place in our literature, for the simple reason that they 

 are not likely to obtain a permanent footing on our soil. Aliens 

 or casuals, in many instances they survive only a single season 

 in their new surroundings, and in the majority of cases they 

 disappear entirely after two or three years. 



To-day 1 am able to mention the names of twelve species 

 which have been recently added to our flora, eleven of which 

 rank as natives, as well as several sub-species and varieties. As 

 far as I can find, no other year can show a like record, and this 

 record becomes the more remarkable when it is remembered that 

 out of the twelve new species one is not known to occur in any 

 other part of the world, and, as far as we can yet say, another does 

 not favour any other county in Gfreat Britain or Ireland. All this is 

 strong testimony to the thoroughness with which we are 

 endeavouring to carry out our investigations, and is a caution 

 against the danger of undue haste in the publication of the 

 material which I am collecting for a trustworthy guide to our 

 county's flora. It also further emphasises the almost insular 

 character of our flora, inasmuch as it enables us now to claim for 

 the duchy fifteen plants for the existence of which in other parts 

 of Great Britain evidence is wanting."''' Such a record, if not 

 absolutely unique, is surpassed by but few counties south of the 

 Tweed. 



* The plants referred to are: Ftimaria occidcntaUs, the unnamed Fumaria, 

 Lavatera sylvcstiis, Cytisus scoparhis, var. piostratiis, Trifoliuni Molinerii. 

 T. Bocconi, OinHhopiis ebracteahis. Erica vagaiis, Echiiim plantaginetun, Herniaria 

 ciliata, Juncus pygmceus, J. capitatus, Bromus rlgldtis, Chara fragifeta. NUella 

 hyalina. 



