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NOTES ON HIGHLAND PLANTS. 179
The facts I have attempted to show are these :—1. That nearly
allied forms, such as F. Ziz'd and P. heterophijllus, certainly cross.
2. That these cross-bred plants are sometimes fertile. 3. That
their offspring varies from seed just as artificially-produced
hybrids do. 4. That if we consider these hybrids as mongrels, i.e.,
as the offspring of varieties instead of species, yet no such doubt
can attach to P. Jiuitans, the result of lucens x natans, which
hybrid, though usually barren, may also occasionally be fertile ;
and 5, That Potamogetons may progress from absolute sterility,
to more or less complete fertility, under the influence of extended
time and favourable conditions.
If my contention is correct, I think we may then safely assume
that crossing of "species" has been, and still is, one of the
methods by which other species are fashioned.
NOTES ON HIGHLAND PLANTS.
By Eev. E. S. Marshall, M.A., F.L.S., and F. J. Hanbury, F.L.S.
We spent a fortnight together during the second half of last
July ; the places visited being Kingshouse and Inveroran, in the
" Black Mount" district of Argyle (vice-county 98), and Tyndrum
and Crianlarich, Mid-Perth (v.c. 88). Special attention was paid
to Hieracia, a number of which were collected, several being forms
not yet identified. A few references are made to plants found
by one or both of us in previous years. After we had parted
company, some things of interest were gathered by E. S. M. in
Corrie Ardran, Glen Dochart, and on Meall-na-Saone, Glen
and a short excursion to
Lochay, which was ascended from Luib ;
Ben-a-chroin, at the head of Glen Falloch, also yielded new
stations for some Perthshire plants. We place this in v.c. 87 (W.
Perth), in accordance with Watson's map. We have to acknowledge
help from Professors Babington and Hackel, as well as from
Messrs. Bccby, Bennett, Cosmo Melvill, Towusend, the Eev. E. F.
Linton, and Dr. Buchanan White.
We believe plants marked =" to
county.
be unrecorded for the vice-
Ranunculus hederaceus L. Kingshouse, at 800 feet. E. flammula
L., var. radicans Nolte, is abundant and well-marked on
the gravelly shores of Loch Tulla, Inveroran. Var. petioJaris
Lange, was again collected near Kingshouse, this time in good
fruit. The carpels arc rather lai'gcr than those of var. radicans,
but do not materially differ. We arc, however, by no means convinced
that the plant is not a distinct species. The peculiar
IJttorella-VikQ root-leaves (retained under cultivation) are totally
different from those of typical Fhiiinniila, and are very evanescent,
mostly disappearing belbrc the fruit ripens. The wliolo plant
is remarkably brittle and upright, and, among tlic many specimens
which we examined, wo did not find a single intermediate or
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