Carduus pratensis, Huds. Moist hill meadows. Near Capel Coelbren abundantly. One plant of a hybrid thistle (pratensis-palustris) growing along with it. Blaen-rhyd-nant, Cwm Cray. Serratula tinctoria, L. Locally common. Cwm Serre ; Cwm Tarell; Pen-y-wyllt. Gnaphalium dioicum, L. Dry mountain banks, rare. Craig-yrhiwarth in Cwm Llwch, a single plant only found. *+ Petasites albus, Gaert., and P. fragrans, Presl., together with the Snowdrop, Monkshood, Lesser Periwinkle, and other plants, were introduced more than 30 years ago in a wooded glen on the Cynrig in Cantreff Rectory grounds, and are now thoroughly naturalised there. *+ Inula Helenium, L. Elecampane. ground in Cwm Tarell, near Brecon. *+ Doronicum Pardalianches, L. in fields near the shrubberies, Frwd-grech. A garden escape on waste Leopard's-bane. Naturalised * Hypochæris glabra, L. A colonist, in cultivated fields, rare. Cornfield near the top of Llech-faen. Garden weed at Brecon. Hieracium. In this extremely critical genus, the difficulties are at present greatly increased by the important work which is at the present time being done in it by Mr. F. J. Hanbury and others, by which the number of forms known to inhabit Britain is being rapidly added to. This, while increasing the difficulty of writing about them in a paper like the present, adds perhaps to the interest of any notes that can be given about them. Most or all of the following have been seen by Mr. Hanbury; and the names, resting on the authority of the first living student of these plants in Britain, may thus, when no ? has been appended to them, be considered of unexceptionable value. * Hieracium stenolepis, Lindeb. Journal of Bot., 1888, p. 205. Recorded by Mr. Barrett as H. cæsium, Fr. At one or two stations only, on the limestone at Pen-y-wyllt. First recorded as British from the Doward Hill, Herefordshire, and from Braemar. This plant occurs also on the limestone crag at Carreg Cennen, at the extreme west of the Beacon range, in Carmarthenshire; and should be looked for in the limestone portion of the range lying on its eastern side in Monmouthshire. It is necessary to add that Mr. Hanbury is not responsible for this name, as applied to the Pen-y-wyllt plant, which he was inclined to place to H. murorum, L. He has, however, only seen poorly dried specimens, not the living plant, which, from the highly developed glaucousness of its leaves, I should judge without much hesitation to belong to H. stenolepis, Lindeb. * Hieracium nitidum, Backh. Abundant at several localities. Precipice of the summit: Craig-y-gledsiau. Head of the Hepste glen, on limestone rocks by the river side. Specimens have been sent by Mr. Hanbury from all these stations, and pronounced by him with little hesitation to bear the name of H. nitidum, Backh. This is a new record of great interest; H. nitidum having been confined in its previously known stations to the Scottish Highlands, and being there a rare species. It occurs again at Craig-y-llyn, Glamorganshire, in abundance. * Hieracium caledonicum, Hanbury. Journal of Bot., 1889, p. 75, where a short description will be found. Craig-y-gledsiau, and in some smaller rocks at the head of Cwm Tarell. This, which is spoken of with some assurance by Mr. Hanbury, is again a record of great interest. The plant was found by him in 1888 on the north coast of Scotland, and since that date in Skye and East Ross. Its Breconshire record is therefore the earliest for England and Wales, and implies a very large extension of its range to the southward. Hieracium murorum, L., ex parte; variety. Rocky mountain sides in Cwm Tarell, abundant at one spot; also on the central cliff of the Beacons. This variety of the common H. murorum is strikingly different from the type in appearance; but is said by Mr. Hanbury (and my own experience confirms this) to revert to the type under cultivation. It is abundant on the Tarens of the Black Mountain group, both in Monmouthshire and Herefordshire, and has not yet received a name. ? * Hieracium Gibsoni, Back. This name was suggested to me with doubt by Mr. Hanbury, for a plant growing on mountain sides near Capel Cellwen, and some of the Breconshire specimens bear a strong resemblance to Yorkshire and Denbighshire plants which are undoubted H. Gibsoni. * Hieracium orarium, Lindeb. Journal of Bot., 1888, p. 205. Again first recorded as British from the extreme northern coast of Britain, this form will probably be found widely scattered in it, when better known. Banks, mountain sides, and rocks. Cwm Serre, and the Menascin glen, near Brecon : probably common. The ciliate tips of the young ligules will separate it from the broad-leaved forms of H. vulgatum, Fr., which it otherwise resembles. I believe that we have the same plant in abundance on the side of railway cuttings in the south of Herefordshire. 1888, p. 73. Cwm This is a plant of hitherto known out Hieracium lapponicum, Fr. Journal of Bot., Tarell, 1887, and subsequent years, on rocks by a stream. extreme interest; the Breconshire station being the only one of Lapland. Specimens from Breconshire were sent to Dr. Lindeberg in 1888, and identified by him, with an expression of certainty, with the Lapland plant. We greatly hope that further research will reveal it in other Breconshire or Welsh stations. I have myself, however, never met with anything resembling it in other parts of Wales. * Hieracium sp. ? A small and well-marked plant, grows in abundance at the central precipice and the Beacons, and at Y-fan-big, which has not been at present identified with any British or foreign species. The opinion of Dr. Lindeberg upon this plant will be awaited for with much interest. * Hieracium Friesii, Hartm. This is, in part at least, the H. gothicum, Fr., of British authors. I use the newer name, not knowing to what extent they : cover the same ground. Journal of Bot., 1888, p. 205. Stream sides and banks in mountain glens, at a level lower than the moorland in many stations. In the Hepste and Nedd glens on the south of the range: on the Usk near Senne bridge on the north and probably at many other stations. In the Hepste and Neath valley, Glamorganshire. Var. basifolium. Falls of the Usk near Senne bridge. Var.? A plant with long-petioled leaves occurs on the Hepste glen, which may turn out not to be assignable to H. Friesii at all. [Hieracium gothicum. Fr. Var. latifolium, Backh. Mountain glens near waterfalls, at a higher level than H. Friesii, and more rare. In plenty in a glen near Llanwrtyd, Breconshire, and at several places near waterfalls in the Rhondda Valley, Glamorganshire. This rare plant has thus been found both north and south of the range which is the subject of this paper, and will be certain to be found on the Beacon range itself when better known and searched for. It is a very different looking plant from H. Friesii, and will probably be eventually severed from it.] Hieracium tridentatum, Fr. Banks and rough pastures at a low elevation. Hedge bank between Cwm Serre and Brecon, fine and well-marked: probably elsewhere also. [Hieracium prenanthoides, Vill. Rare in Wales: and confined in Breconshire, so far as is known, to Taren-r'-Esgob in the Black Mountain. It should occur on the Beacon range.] [Hieracium strictum, Fr. River-side rocks at a moderate elevation. In plenty on the Yrfon, at and near Abergwessin, Breconshire, and on the Elan, Radnorshire. This should be looked for on the Usk and its tributaries.] * Hieracium sparsifolium, Lindeb. Journal of Bot., 1889, p. 73. This is one of the forms recently recognized as British, and it has already been recorded from several Welsh as well as Scottish stations. It is a striking plant, standing well out from any of the above forms. Mountain rocks at about 2,000 feet elevation; glens at a lower elevation. Blaen-Taf-fawr, Brecon Beacons, 1888. Craig-y-llyn, Glamorgan, 1890. Taren Olchon in the Hatterel range, Herefordshire. * Hieracium crocatum, Fr. Stream sides at a moderate elevation, More rarely in the mountain rocks. Hepste glen on the south; Usk at Senne bridge, on the north of the range. Mountain rocks near Capel Cellwen. Craigy-llyn, Glamorgan. A well-marked plant, generally easily recognizable. * Hieracium corymbosum, Fr. River sides, rare? On the Usk at Senne bridge, 1890. Spoken of with slight expression of doubt by Mr. Hanbury. Apparently more rare, in S. Wales, than ether H. strictum or H. Friesii, to both of which it bears considerable resemblance. Hieracium umbellatum, L. Mountain pastures and banks; prob ably not rare. Menascin glen near Brecon, in abundance, 1890. An apology is due for the inordinate length at which the genus Hieracium has been treated in this paper. The Hawk-weeds, however, take the place in the mountains which the Brambles do upon the low-lands. They must be treated at much greater proportionate length than is assigned to other groups, or they must be omitted altogether. In electing the former course, we are induced to hope that others will be stirred up to the study of these plants. A great deal of real work remains to be done in this genus, in our mountain districts, and especially in Wales, as the above Notes amply testify,-work which cannot now be found among British Flowering plants, except in such critical genera. [Wahlenbergia hederacea, Reich. Absent, so far as is known]. [Vaccinium Oxycoccos, L. Cranberry. Absent]. Vaccinium Vitis Idæa, L. Not common. Small and stunted on the exposed mountain, finer in the glens. Cwm Serre. Cwm Llwch. Erica tetralix, L. Cross-leaved Heath. moorlands. Fairly abundant on all the [Erica cinerea, L. Common Heath. Mr. Barrett's statement that this Heath is "very common in Breconshire must, I think, be founded on some error. Neither of the Heaths is abundant on the Brecon Beacon range. Even the common Ling is not abundant. Erica cinerea I never met with on any of the higher hills or moorlands of Wales; and Mr. Le Brocq's experience on this point coincides with my own]. *+Ligustrum vulgare, L. Privet. Plantations near the road side at Frwd-grech. Menyanthes trifoliata, L. Buck-bean. Scattered in bogs and pools. Mountain slopes, Cwm Cray. Capel Coel-bren. As abundant on the lowlands as on the higher ground. * Verbascum Thapsus, L. Common Mullein. Rather rare in Breconshire and Radnorshire. At several stations near Brecon. Veronica serpyllifolia, L., var. *humifusa. Boggy spots on the higher moorlands, not rare. Cwm Cynwyn. Not mentioned by Mr. Barrett: first discovered as a native of South Wales by Mr. Le Brocq. Veronica scutellata, L., with the var. pubescens. Boggy spots on the hills, not common. Llanfrynach and other stations (type and the variety); Cwm Tarell (the variety). Pedicularis palustris, L. Bogs, local. Capel Coel-bren, and Pen-y-wyllt. In the lower part of Cwm Serre. * Lathræa squamaria, L. Toothwort. Lower part of Glen Tarell; and at other stations near Brecon, [Scutellaria minor, L. Lesser Skull-cap. Surprisingly rare in Breconshire. Recorded for the county in Topographical Botany, but never met with by Mr. Barrett, Mr. Le Brocq, nor by myself.] * Ballota nigra, L. Black Horehound. This abundant weed of Herefordshire roadsides is very rare in Breconshire. At the junction of the Tarell with the Usk. Myosotis repens, Don. Cold rills and spring heads on the hills, common. Pinguicula vulgaris, L. Butterwort. Common in wet places on the hills. Cwm Tarell, Cwm Serre. Rumex Acetosella, L. Sheeps' Sorrel. This common little Sorrel, growing on dry pastures throughout the lowlands, flourishes on some of the highest exposed rocks of the Beacons, at nearly 3,000 feet elevation. lane. * Polygonum Bistorta, L. In several spots near Brecon. Llwch Empetrum nigrum, L. not rare. Crowberry. Scattered on the moorlands, [Myrica Gale, L. Sweet Gale. Absent, so far as is known, from the whole county.] Salix herbacea, L. Least Willow. This minute shrub fringes the precipitous rocks on the north of the Beacons; and occupies here its southernmost station in Britain. It was discovered here by the late Mr. Joseph Woods, the author of the well-known "Tourists' Flora." Taxus baccata, L. Mr. Le Brocq has communicated to me the following interesting particulars respecting a specimen of the Yew growing in this neighbourhood. The tree is one of several old trees growing near the remains of a building in Cwm Serre near Pont Cynedydd. It is a male tree, but a large bough bears female blossoms and fruit. Mr. Le Brocq has been experimenting with the seeds produced by this tree, but has hitherto failed to make them grow. He treats the phenomenon as a curious instance of a "reversion from the normal dioicous to a diclinous state." * Orchis Morio, L. Common Meadow Orchis. Cantreff farm, on the old Dowlais road. Abundant near Cefn Gymnadenia Conopsea, Br. Sweet-scented Orchis. Mountain pastures, not common. Lower part of Cwm Serre, and near Pen-y-wyllt. * Gymnadenia albida, Rich. In mountain meadows, very rare. Abundant at Blaen-rhyd-nant, Cwm Cray. Habenaria bifolia, Bab. Man. Rough pastures near Ffrwd-grech. Lesser Butterfly Orchis. Rare. * Habenaria chlorantha, Bab. Butterfly Orchis. As the last; not Cwm Serre; and at Blaen-rhyd-nant, Cwm Cray. common. Epipactis palustris, Crantz. Marsh Helleborine. Rare and local. Fine in Cwm Serre; and at one or two other stations not falling within the scope of this paper. |