NOTES ON THE FLORA OF SHETLAND 271 



Antennaria dioica, Erica Tetralix, Carex pulicaris, Linum cathar- 

 ticum, Selagiiiella, Pinguicula vulgaris, and one or two plants 

 here and there of Narthecium, Nardus, Molinia, dwarfed Hyperi- 

 cum pulchrum, and Leontodon pratensis. On the abutting rocks 

 were Ulota phyllantlia, Lecidea rivulosa, L. contigua, Pertiisaria 

 dealbata, and Lecanora parella var. gyrocheila. 



Near Baltasound a field was noticed w^hich had evidently been 

 under the plough at some time, and had apparently been left to be- 

 come self-sown turf. The plants which had colonized it were : Bellis 

 (20), the most abundant plant, Bammculus repens (10) and TIolcus 

 lanatus (10) came next, the rest (60) was a very scattered mixture 

 of the following : — Leontodon pratensis, BhinantMis Crista-galli, 

 Plantago lanceolata, Myosotis versicolor, Trifolium repens, Prunella 

 vulgaris, Bumex Acetosa, B. crispa, B. obtusifolius, Euphrasia 

 Bostkoviana, Achillcea Ptarmica, Lychnis Flos-cuciili (in a quite 

 dry place), Viola tricolor, Poa annua, P. pratensis, Lolium perenne, 

 and Lotus corniculatus . 



In a slightly peaty marsh near Ollaberry, I spent a consider- 

 able time in trying to make out any dominant or subdominant 

 plant. I found the attempt quite useless, as I have often found it 

 before in many other situations besides marshes ; it is quite im- 

 possible to find dominance or subdominance in every association 

 of plants one may meet wath. This very mixed association con- 

 sisted of the following, hardly one plant being appreciably more 

 abundant than another : — Lychnis Flos-cuculi, Bammculus Flam- 

 inula, B. acris, Eriophorum polystachion, Euphrasia (all in seed), 

 Carex echinata, C. Goodenoiuii (with dark spikes), Pedicularis 

 palustris, Holcus lanatus, Equisetum palustre, Trifolium repens, 

 Anthoxanthum odoratum, Jiincus supinus, J. acutiflorus (in some 

 places and generally dwarfed), Luzula multiflora, with but small 

 q}X2^nt\t\Q^oiTriglochin palustre. Orchis macidata, 0. latifolia, and 

 less still of SpircEa Ulmaria, Menyanthes, and Senecio aquaticus. 

 In a few of the wettest places Philonotis fontana was certainly 

 dominant in very small areas, associated at the margins of the 

 patches with Hypnum ciLspidatum, Pellia epiphylla, and Mnium 

 rostratum. On the drier banks of this marsh Scabiosa succisa w^as 

 frequent. About a hundred or more yards away the marsh was a 

 little more sloping ; neither dominance nor subdominance of any 

 species was shown, but a few more species began to appear 

 among those above mentioned, such as Carex flava, C. Horns- 

 chuchiana, C. panicea, C. dioica, C. flacca, C. pulicaria, Pingui- 

 cida vulgaris, a greater proportion of Senecio aquaticus, and much 

 more Hypnum cusyidatum, with H. falcatum. In the drier parts 

 Molinia, Plantago maritima, Leontodon pratensis, and Scabiosa 

 succisa replaced some of the other species. Where there was a 

 bank, Galium verum, Bellis, Lotus corniculatus, and Cynosurus 

 cristatus appeared, and where it was somewhat stagnant Potamo- 

 geton polygonifolius occurred, whilst outstanding rocks bore a rich 

 covering of Trentepohlia aurea. 



In some adjoining hay-fields which had been fenced off from 

 this marshy land and drained, the following mixture occurred with 



