1905. Prakgek.- Ihc Flora of the Mullet and Inishkei. 243 



Carex echinata. 

 ovalis. 

 pilulifera. 

 pnecox. 

 pauicea. 

 binervis. 



Horuscbucliiana. 

 Aiitlioxauthum odor- 



atum. 

 Phleiim arenarium. 



Agrostis caniua. 

 Aira caryophyllea. 

 Moliiiia caerulea. 

 CaLabrosa aquatica. 

 Festuca sciuroides. 



rubra. 

 Nardus stricta. 

 Blechnum Spicant. 

 Ath3Tium Filix-fce- 



miua. 



I^astrea Filix-mas. 



dilalata. 

 Equisetum limosum. 

 Lycopodium Selago. 

 Selagiuella selagiu- 



oides. 

 Chara aspera. 



vulgaris. 



Three plants, recorded from the Mullet, were not found by 

 me. Caiiielina saliva, noted by Babington as frequent in flax 

 fields in 1S36; has disappeared along with the flax in which it 

 was a denizen. Stnccio viscosus, recorded by the same writer, 

 appears to have been 6". sylvaliais. Finally, Geraniuvi 

 pyre7iaic7im, noted by Dr. Moore as '* near Belmullet, close to 

 the town," may be there still, but was not met with. Its only 

 other western stations are inland and on the limestone, and 

 it may have been casual here. 



The flora of Inishkea as enumerated above numbers 185 

 species and sub-species, according to Irish Top. Bot. standard. 

 The additional plants of the Mullet number 165, and deducting 

 from the sum of these two 10 Inishkea plants not seen on the 

 Mullet, the total Mullet flora is seen to be 340, or 350 for the 

 Mullet and Inishkea. The following brief comparison 

 between three neighbouring isolated areas in West Mayo may 

 be instructive : — 





Mullet. 



Achill. 



Clare I. 



Area, . 



Greatest height, 

 Flora, 



45 sq. m. 



434 feet. 

 350 



57 sq. m. 

 2,204 feet 

 419 



6^ sq. m. 

 1,520 feet. 

 368 



In this comparison, the extreme poverty of the Mullet flora 

 is the striking feature. This must be attributed mainly to 

 the absence of variety of conditions — to the monotonous 

 repetition of blown sand, poor tillage, and bog ; and more 

 especiall}' to the absence of mountains, which not only bring 

 in a new group of plants, but provide a certain amount of 

 broken ground and shelter. 



