288 BRITISH PLANTS 



Linncei, Oxytropis uralen^is, Gnaphalium supinum, Vero- 

 nica alpina, Juncus trifidus, Carex vaginata, Salix 

 Myrsinites, S. reticulata, Athyrium alpestre, Azalea pro- 

 cumbens, Arctostaphylos alpina, Betula nana (1 to 2 feet 

 high). 



Only one alpine is confined to south Britain — Lloydia 

 serotina — found in one or two places on the Snowdon 

 range. 



Many species of Saxifraga are found on the mountains 

 of west or south-west Ireland, and nowhere else in the 

 British Isles. Of these 8. umbrosa (London-pride), widely 

 scattered, and 8. Geum, confined to Kerry and Cork, are 

 members of the Lusitanian flora (see p. 213) ; 8. hirsuta 

 is found only in Kerry and Cork, 8. elegans only in Kerry ; 

 8. decipiens extends from western Ireland to western 

 Scotland and north Wales ; 8. ccespitosa occurs very 

 rarely in Kerry, Carnarvonshire, Westmorland, and 

 Aberdeen. Arenaria ciliata has its only British station 

 in the Ben Bulben range, west Ireland. 



Other alpines found more or less abundantly in most 

 mountainous districts throughout the British Isles are : 

 Thalictrum alpinum, Draba incana, GocUearia alpina, 

 Thlaspi alpestre (not in Ireland), 8ilene acaulis, Cerastium 

 alpinum (not in Ireland), Arenaria verna, Dryas octopetala, 

 Alchemilla alpina, 8axifraga aizoides (rills), 8. oppositi- 

 folia, 8. hypnoides, 8. stellaris (rills), Sedum Rhodiola 

 (the only succulent alpine plant in this country), Anten- 

 naria dioica, 8aussurea alpina, Polygonum viviparum, 

 Oxyria reniformis, 8alix herbacea, Empetrum nigrum, 

 Poa alpina, Juniperus communis var. nana, Asplenium 

 viride, Dryopteris montana, Cystopteris fragilis. Confined 

 to northern England and Scotland are : Potentilla 8ibbaldi, 

 Epildbium alsinefolium, E. alpinum, Linncea boreaiis, 

 Galium boreale, 8alix Lapponum. 



An interesting feature of the alpine vegetation is the 

 presence of a number of plants found also on the seashore. 

 Thus, GocUearia grcenlandica, 8ilene maritima. Armaria 

 maritima, and Plantago maritima are almost as common 

 on damp alpine ledges as on the wind-swept face of a sea- 

 cliff. In other cases the plant is represented by a variety, 

 and not the type — e.g., 8agina maritima var. alpina. 

 Plants whose home is in the mountain may extend down 

 to the sea-coast — e.g., Draba incana and Oxytropis ura- 



