Campanula on Skye

Following my comments here on the scarcity of harebells on Skye, Martin Perry reports some plants at Loch Coruisk in July, which is excellent.  Following my visit to Muck, (and last year’s to Eigg) where this plant is more common, I have been wondering if the southwestern area of Skye might yield more records if visited in July and August but I am not sure that I am going to make it there in time this year.

More Muck

The following native plants found during my recent trip are probably new to Muck.  In a couple of cases it is hard to be sure as there are previous records for NM48 which covers most of Eigg and a part of Muck.  However, they are not shown as present on Muck in “The Botanist in Skye and Adjacent Islands”:

Agrostis vinealis  Brown Bent
Carex lasiocarpa  Slender Sedge 
Carex x fulva          C. hostiana x viridula
Juncus ambiguus Frog Rush
Polygonum oxyspermum subsp. raii   Ray’s Knotgrass
Rosa caesia subsp. glauca  Glaucous Dog-rose
Spergularia media   Greater Sea-spurrey

Polygonum oxyspermum on Muck

There were also a number of additions involving aggregates or subspecies and quite a few planted tree species or garden escapes.

As well as Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell), Parnassia palustris (Grass of Parnassus) and Anagallis tenella (Bog Pimpernel) were noticeably common. 

The single old specimen of Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima (Sea Beet) on a rock ledge was looking in rude health and Carex paniculata (Greater Tussock-sedge) was present in profusion in many areas of the island.

The End of An Stac