222 



The Irish Naturalist, 



October, 



Dicranodontium longirostra at Holywood. 



About a couple of years ago I found on the rotten stump of a tree on 

 the hill above Holywood, Co. Down, a moss which I made out to be 

 Dicranodontium longirostra, B. & S. ; this naming has been confirmed by Mr. 

 J. E. Bagnall, of Birmingham. I am not aware of the typical plant having 

 been previously recorded for Ulster, but var. olpitms was found by Dr. 

 Moore "on moist rocks at Cushendall " {Proc. R. I. A., 1872). It is not 

 at all a common moss, and its occurrence in Ulster is worthy of record. 



J. Hunter. 



Edinburgh. 



The Parsley Fern in Co. Wicklow. 



Last autumn Mr. R. V. Dixon brought me some small fresh fronds of 

 AUosorus crispus, which he and his son had found growing in a crevice in 

 a boulder beside the stream that drains Lough Nahanagan. In view of 

 the fact that this fern has not hitherto been recorded from any station 

 outside the North of Ireland, I delayed publication of Mr. Dixon's 

 interesting discovery until I had examined the locality. This was done 

 on June 18. The fern was not refound, but my examination convinced 

 me that no doubt can be entertained as to the plant being indigenous in 

 this station. The habitat is a wild moor, 1,100-1,300 feet, far from any 

 house or former reclamation. Along the stream Polypodium Phegopteris 

 and Saxifraga stellarisy both of which I found in abundance on the cliffs 

 overhanging Lough Nahanagan (1,400-1,700 feet), descend from their 

 alpine habitat to mingle with the riverside vegetation, between the 

 deserted mines and the lake. I have littie doubt but that the Parsley Fern 

 likewise has come down stream from some station higher up, more in 

 keeping with the alpine proclivities which it usually displays in Ireland 

 (though in Co. Antrim it descends to 300 feet). I searched portion of 

 the cliffs over Lough Nahanagan with some care with this thought in 

 mind, but P. P hcgoptais, as stated above, and Cystopteris fragilis^ were the 

 only uncommon ferns seen. With them was Rubus saxatilis, of which the 

 only Wicklow records appear to be those in " The Irish Flora," 1833. 

 Unfortunately, unaAvare of its rarity, the discoverers of the Parsley P'ern 

 in Wicklow brought away with them the only plant they found. 



R. L1.OYD PRAEGKR. 



Dublin. 



Orobanche rubra in Sligo. 



At the end of June Mrs. Johnson found a specimen of Orobanche rubra. 

 Smith, in the sandhills at Rosses Point. It was growing among the 

 Bent at the end of the sandhills nearest to the golf links. As it was 

 almost our last day we had not an opportunity of looking for more 

 specimens. The Rev. Canon Lett kindly determined the plant for me. 



W. F. Johnson. 



Poyntzpass. 



