240 CHENOPODIACEA. [Chenopodium. 
IT. Sparingly near the town wells beside the River Finnihy 
just north of Kenmare (R.W.S.) Cyb. 1898, and in 1908 
[—Ill. Very abundant on the Little Skellig Rock (Rev. A 
Delap) Irish Nat. 1893, p. 112].—VI. Sparingly at the Mill 
bridge. Deenagh River, and rather abundant on a roadside 
at the Workhouse, both these stations lie a little north of 
Killarney : R.W.S. 1889, and in 1911. 
First record in 1889: R.W.S., Journ. of Bot. 
It is somewhat surprising to find this Chenopodium so 
very rare in Kerry as it was, no doubt, cultivated formerly 
in the county for culinary purposes, as elsewhere in Ireland. 
The Rev. A. Delap’s record for this plant on the Little 
Skellig Rock quoted above is, it is feared, an error. The 
plant is stated by the finder to grow there in such abundance 
as to be known on the adjacent mainland as the “ Skellig 
Spinach”; a plant, however, gathered by Miss Delap on 
the Blasket Islands which lie about 18 miles to the north 
and sent to R.W.S. as the “ Skellig Spinach,” proved on 
examination to be Beta maritima. The station, moreover, 
is an unlikely one for this roadside-loving species. It is a 
small rocky islet rising precipitously to a height of 440 feet 
and, so far as is known, has never been inhabited. Nor does 
this plant appear to grow on the Great Skellig another pre- 
cipitous island which rises to over 700 feet and lies about 
two miles further west. It is at present inhabited by light- 
house keepers only, but is well known to antiquarians for 
its interesting remains of an ancient ecclesiastical settle- 
ment. The nearest known station for this Chenopodium 
on the mainland is Kenmare, fully forty miles distant. 
BETA Linn. 
B. maritima Linn. Sea Beet. 
Districts I. II. TT. — V. — VIL. VIII. IX. 
Native. On sea cliffs and gravelly sea shores. Common. 
Peren. June—September. 
First record in 1756: Dr. Smith, Hist. of Kerry, p. 374, 
No. 13. ‘“‘Common on the shores of the river of Kenmare 
near Ballybog, and more westerly towards the river’s 
mouth.” 
This plant is known about Cahersiveen and on Valencia 
Island, &c., as the Skellig Spinach. 
