ON THE PLANT REMAINS IN THE SCOTTISH PEAT MOSSES. 



37 



Section II. 



Characteristic Plants. 



1. Scirpus caespitosus. 



2. Betula alba — small shrubs. 



3. Betula nana. 



4. Salix Arbuscula. 



5. Potentilla Comarum. 



Accompanying Plants. 



1. Eriophorum angustifolium. 

 Calhma vulgaris. 



2. Eriophorum sp. (abundant). 



3. Empetrum nigrum. 



4. Empetrum nigrum. 



5. Oar ex ampullacea. 

 Peaty sand and pebbles. 



Sand. 



Section III. : — 



Characteristic Plants. 



1. Scirpus, Sphagnum. 



2. Betula alba (small). 



3. Empetrum nigrum. 



4. Empetrum nigrum. 



5. Potentilla Comarum. 



Accompanying Plants. 

 Calluna (fairly plentiful). 



Salix Arbuscula. 



Salix Arbusculu, Carex sp. 



Peaty sand. 



The sequence of strata in these sections agrees closely. The upper forest is every- 

 where missing, but a constant feature is the presence of a shrubby growth of birch 

 which in some cases extends from the Empetrum and Salix beds up to the recent 

 Scirpus, Eriophorum, and Sphagnum bed. The birch is always of very small size and 

 mixed with much Eriophorum, Calluna, and Sphagnum. In fact, the evidence points 

 to the birch growth representing a period of peat formation or peat bog conditions, and 

 differs very much in this respect from the features found in the lower and the upper 

 forest. It may be recalled that a similar scrub birch mixed with peat bog plants was 

 recorded from many other districts in the Highlands in L906 (3). In those districts, 

 however, the upper forest of pine was well marked and occurred above the scrub birch and 

 separated from it by some thickness of Sphagnum. Before fully discussing the sequence 

 in this district, typical sections may be given from the eastern drainage area. 



Section I. : — 



Characteristic Plants. 



1. Scirpus peat. 



2. Calluna peat. 



3. Betula alba (scrub). 



4. Eriophorum vaginatum. 



5. Empetrum nigrum,. 



6. Potentilla Comarum. 



7. Structureless peat. 



Accompanying Plants. 



1. 



2. 



3. Eriophorum vaginatum, Sphagnum. 



4. Empetrum nigrum. 



5. Salix Arbuscula, Sagina nodosa. 

 6. 



7. 



Section II. : — 



Characteristic Plants. 



1. Scirpus. 



2. Betula alba. 



3. Empetrum nigrum. 



4. Salix Arbuscula. 



Accompanying Plants. 



3. Menyanthes trifoliata. 



4. Empetrum nigrum. 

 Rock. 



