200 JtlNCUS. ALISMA. 



vicinity * . In old writers, however, Bent is synonymous with moor 

 or heath. „ rj^^^y lighted high on Otterburne, 



Upon the Sent sae brown ; 

 They lighted high on Otterboume, 



And threw their pallions down." 



And Allan Ramsay in a fine sketch of a pretty scene in pastoral life, — 



" As she skift o'er the ficntg knowes, 

 Gawn to the bught to milk the ewes." 



The large tough patches which this rush forms are called by the farmer 

 33entj)fenotSi, and are serious obstacles to the plough in the process 

 of converting the moorlands into pasture ground. The wiry leaves 

 afford a seasonable morsel to hill sheep, springing so earlv as January. 

 — " J. squarrosus, in montosis Scotise, victum prsebet ovibus utilissi- 

 mum hyberno tempore ; gramen, si ullum aliud, maxima vi frigoris, 

 sempervirens. Radices crassas avide etiam effodiunt." Walker. 



28. J. casNOSus. Salt marshes. — B. Abundant on the sides of 

 the Tweed from the Old Castle to the Grove-house. In a bog within 

 high tides between the Coveshore and Dunglass burn foot, J. Hardy. 

 — D. Marshy ground at Gosvpick, and on similar parts of the coast. 

 — I am uncertain whether our species is J. coenosus or J. compressus. 

 See Flora of Berwick, i. p. 79 . Professor Arnott unites the two species. 



29. J. BUFFONius. Abundant on all moist gravelly places, 

 covered with water during winter; and at the sides of ponds. July, Aug. 



30. LucioLA sYLVATicA =^ Luzula sylvatica. OT[oob=(©ra)j^. — 

 Common in deans, and very ornamental. May, June. 



31 . L. piLOSA. On banks in deans, and in woods, common. May. 



32. L. cAMPESTRis. Cucfeoo^graiSS : ^Paiif^^tottp^grajis : JSIatfe^ 

 tapiS. — In pastures, common, flowering with the Primrose and the 

 Dog Violet, and pulled bychildren to give varietyto the spring nosegay. 



33. L. coNGESTA= Luzula multiflora. Bromfield in Phytologist, 

 18,70, p. 1002.— -Var. a. multiflora=L. sudetica, Berw. Fl. i. 81, 

 pi. 2. — Var. /3. congesta. — In rough boggy ground. /3. is most com- 

 mon ; and it is found, in a modified form, growing in tufts in fir 

 plantations, in very dry ground. 



34. Narthecium ossifragum. A welcome plant on our moors, 

 where it grows in turfy hogs, and is not uncommon. July, Aug. 



35. Alisma P1.ANTAGO. OTattfs^Plantattt. Ponds and ditches, 

 common. July. 



36. A. RANUNCULOiDES. Turfy bogs, rare. B. In the ditch at 

 the foot of St. Abb's-head, and in the pond on the Head. Loch 

 Lithtillum, Dr. R. D. Thomson. In a bog below Lintlaw farm 

 house. Dr. R. Dunlop. — D. Holy Island lough. — N. In the pond 

 above Spindlestone. July, Aug. 



* A local proverb says, — " The earliest har'st (harvest) that e'er was seen, 

 was seen at Benty-Dod." — It is one of the bleakest places in Lammermoor, 

 and its harvest was so early that they were shearing the crop there on a 

 New Year's morning. Trans. Berw. N. Club, ii. p. 101. 



