Dublin Ireland

Dublin and its Vicinity

The city and suburbs of Dublin (Self Catering, Dublin, Ireland) are interesting as being the headquarters of two rare plants-Sisymbrium Irio, unknown elsewhere in Ireland, and Mercurialis anmia, which, though frequently occurring about other towns in the southern half of the country, is much more abundant here than elsewhere. Neither of these plants is indigenous in Ireland.

The two canals which enter Dublin (Hotels, Dublin, Ireland) from the west have been the means of bringing within the city a number of plants of the Central Plain. The harbour is the home of a sedge and a grass both very local in Ireland-Carex divisa and Glyceria Borreri. A few miles to the northward the Kamtschatkan Artemisia Stelleriana, has established itself on sand-dunes. The banks of the River Liffey for some miles above the city are the only Irish home of Scrophularia umbrosa. The Ragwort Senecio erucifolius, which everywhere haunts the environs, is in this country scarcely found beyond the limits of the county of Dublin. It will be observed that these characteristic Dublin plants have widely separated homes, and that many of them are introductions.

Dublin is, indeed, the focus of the alien flora of Ireland. This is no doubt mainly the result of climate and soil, which conform more nearly than other parts of Ireland to those of more southern regions, to which the bulk of the introduced flora belongs. But it is, also, no doubt in part the result of early settlement and of many centuries of trade and intercourse.

Howth and Lambay.

The promontory of Howth and the island of Lambay, both situated in the county of Dublin (Accommodation, Dublin, Ireland), form two conspicuous projections on the coast of Leinster. Both are comparatively high (400- 600 ft.) and rocky, Howth being formed of Cambrian rocks, and Lambay mostly of volcanic material and the heathery uplands which both of them present, contrast strongly with the low drift-covered, highly tilled plain of the adjoining mainland. Howth has a flora which for Ireland is remarkably large-about 510 species of Phanerogams on an area of 2670 acres. This area includes the Cambrian headland, the limestones on their north-eastern side, and the low neck of gravel (raised beach), which joins them to the mainland. A number of the rarer Leinster plants are found here: Sisymbrium Irio Senecio viscosus Raphanus maritimus S. erucifolius Viola hirta Artemisia maritima Lavatera arborea Salvia Verbenaca Trifolium scabruni Atriplex portulacoides Trigonella ornithopodioides Zostera nana Ornithopus perpusillus Festuca uniglumis. The most interesting flora is that which is developed along the, steep sea-banks of the cast and south shores. Here, although the rocks are non-calcareous, lime, is present in the shelly limestone gravel-drift that is plastered against the face of the slopes. Here are quantities of Spergnlaria rupestris Inula crithmoides Geranium sanguincmn Carlina vnlgaris Erodium maritimnm Statice oecidentalis Crithmum maritimum Beta maritima Kubia peregrina Scilla verna. On the similar sea-slopes of Lambay we again meet with, in abundance, most of the plants of this list; the other leading characters of the Howth flora are. repeated, but with an absence of most of the rarest of the Howth plants. In compensation for this, we find in Lambay some plants locally rare, such as Geranium pusillum, Agrimonia, odorata, and Juncus obtusifluru

Posted on April 15th, 2008 under Botany. Tags: alien flora, Cambrian headland, Cambrian rocks, Carex divisa, Central Plain, Dublin, flora, Glyceria Borreri, Howth, Howth plants, Ireland, Lambay, Leinster, Leinster plants, Mercurialis anmia, Phanerogams, river Liffey, Sisymbrium Irio. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.