A 17th century contribution TO THE SCOTTISH FLORA 



By F. H. Perring 



School of Agriculture, University of Cambridge 



About the year 1695 Martin Martin, Gent., native of Skye and sometime scholar 

 of Leider University, made a tour of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, visiting almost 

 every island personally, including St. Kilda. In 1698 he published A Late Voyage to 

 St. Kilda, the Remotest of all the Hebrides, and five years later in 1703 appeared the first 

 edition of the work for which he is justly famous, A Description of the Western Islands 

 of Scotland. Both works have long been valued by students of Hebridean history for 

 the acute account of life in the islands in the late 17th century, but as far as can be gathered 

 the many plants mentioned by Martin have been overlooked.* For this reason the 

 plants have been extracted and are listed according to the Island on which they are said 

 to grow by Martin. In most cases he gave an English or Scots name. An attempt has 

 been made to identify the plants more exactly and notes, giving reasons, are added. The 

 main source of information for identification has been Britten & Holland (1886) and unless 

 otherwise stated the notes are based on that work. 



Lewis, v.c. 110 

 Birch 



Hazel : Corylus avellana 

 Nettle 



Reed : Probably Phragmites communis. Typha latifolia is mentioned elsewhere and 



is called " Cat's Tail." 

 Golden Rod : Solidago virgaurea 



All Heal : May be Stachys arvensis which is the name given by Lightfoot (2) 

 although it is well to remember he is "a Lecturer of Uxbridge," as Thomas 

 Pennant delightfully describes him. He received his information mostly at second- 

 hand from Stuart, who spoke Gaelic, and who was the third member of the party 

 which comprised Pennant's (1776) Voyage to the Hebrides. However, Clown's 

 All Heal is Stachys palustris, and we may perhaps accept the family likeness. 



Harris, v.c. 110 



Daisy : Bellis perennis 

 Clover 



Wild White Carrot : Daucus carota 



Allium latifolium : Allium ursiimm', no other Allium has been recorded in v.c. 110. 



Berneray, v.c. 110 



Slake-like plant growing on land [slake = seaweed] 



Hermetray, v.c. 110 

 Milkwort 



• Xcitlicr N. Douglas Sin){'>on nor Canon C. E. Rd\cn \Mih uhom I ha\e corresponded on the subject is aware of references 

 to the booK in boldiiical lilcrdluic. 



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