T905- PrA-KGRR. — The Flo7'a of the Mullet a?id Inishkca. 239 



tiny beds may be noticed. The commonest plants of the 

 tilled land are Brassica campestrisy Matricaria inodora, and 

 Chenopodium album. Artemisia vulgaris^ Polyg07im?i aviculare, 

 Potcntilla Anseriua, and ;;2«rzV/w^/ also sometimes make 



themselves conspicuons. Lamiiwi intermedium is the com- 

 monest of the three purple Dead-nettles, all of which occur. 

 Fine plants of Fu7naria caprcolata were gathered on North 

 Inishkea, and F. confusa (var. hibernicd) grows on both 

 islands. Coiivolvulus arve^isis, a plant hitherto unrecorded for 

 West Mayo, has formed an extensive colony on the north 

 island, flowering in delightful profusion. The effect of the 

 shelter afforded by the hill on the south island is seen in the 

 increased weed flora of the tilled ground of its eastern slope. 

 Here also occurred the only bramble of which sufficient 

 material could be collected for positive naming — a form of 

 R. ccssitis, unknown to M. Rogers. But at least two other 

 brambles grow on Inishkea. The sea cliffs of the western 

 shores are mostly utterly wave-washed and almost devoid of 

 vegetation, but in sheltered gullies Spergularia rupestris^ 

 Crithvium., Afigelica, Aster Tripolium^ Beta, and Aspleuium 

 mari7ium grow vigorously. One of the most remarkable 

 plants of Inishkea is Hyoscyamus riiger^ the Henbane, hitherto 

 unrecorded for West Mayo, which flourishes about the 

 ancient inscribed cross which stands above the harbour on the 

 south island. This plant is held in a kind of apprehensive 

 veneration by the islanders, and vivid stories are told of its 

 poisonous properties. It increases year by year, we were 

 assured, till in the seventh season it grows up in great abund- 

 ance and blossoms profusely. We were unable to discover 

 when the next " seventh 3^ear" would be, butatthe time of our 

 visit, sure enough, only immature plants were present, though 

 it was just flowering time. 



Lists and Analyses. 



In order to allow of comparison between the Inishkea flora 

 and that of the Mullet, and between both and that of adjoin- 

 ing insular or mainland areas, I list first the Inishkea flora, 

 and then supplement it by adding those plants of the Mullet 

 which were not found on the islands. 



