1021. 



79 



Spiranthes Romanzoffiana in County Kerry. 



Miss M. C. Knowles. of the National Museum has quite recently shown 

 me a specimen of the above Orchid gathered in Kerry by Mr. P. Mac- 

 Sweeney on the 30th July, 1916 ; it is a welcome and long-expected 

 addition to the county flora. In reply to enquiries by the present writer, 

 Mr. MacSweeney states that he found the plant growing sparingly in a bog 

 near Waterville ; not more than 4 or 5 specimens were seen. 



As the distribution of this North American Spiranthes makes it one of 

 the most interesting plants in the British flora, a short note on its present 

 known range may be of interest. It was first found in 1810 by J. Druni- 

 mond in a rushy meadow at Castletown- Berehaven, in Co. Cork, wliich 

 locality remained for over sixty years its only known station in Europe. 

 In 1873 and 1874 two more Co. Cork localities were added, both of these 

 being inland. In 1892 it was discovered in Co. Armagh, and it has sub- 

 sequently been recorded from several other northern counties around 

 Lough Neagh, occurring in some of these latter stations in great abundance. 

 It is still, however, unknown in Europe, outside of Ireland. Elsewhere it 

 occurs in British North America, the northern United States and Kamts- 

 chatka. 



Whether the southern and northern plants should both be referred to 

 Spiranthes Romanzoffiana is open to doubt. The respective plants difler 

 in their appearance as well as in their manner of growth. Even allowing 

 for the gap of well over 200 miles that separates the Cork and Kerry 

 stations from those around Lough Neagh, their changed climatic con- 

 ditions do not fully account for the differences seen. It is m.ost desirable 

 that a careful examination of fresh plants from both areas should be 

 carried out. 



R. W. Scully. 



Dundrum, Co. Dublin. 



Cnicus pratensis in Co. Dublin. 



While exploring Glenasmole for orchids at the end of May, I was sur- 

 prised to find quite a large station for the very local Cnicus pratensis, about 

 300 yards south of St. Anne's churchyard, and about the same level. 

 The plant is scattered over about an acre of a swampy meadow, in patches 

 three or four yard:^ across, and shov/s bud and blossom in abundance. 

 Tliis species appears to have been missing from the Co. Dablin flora since 

 1833, and does not seem to have been previously recorded from Mr 

 Colgan's Dist. 7. 



J. P. Brunker. 



Dublin. 



