Down Ireland

The Mourne Mountains occupy the southern end of Co. Down, and form a bold and picturesque mass rising in Slieve Donard to 2796 ft. They are composed of granite lapped round by Silurian rocks. The higher hills lie towards the north-east, and here also is situated Tollymore Park, which is good ground for the botanist. Newcastle forms the, best centre. The flora of the slate is rather richer than that of the granite. The plants of the district include Meconopsis cambrica, Sanssurea alpina, many Hieracia including senescens, hibernicum, and argenfeum, Cryptogramme crispa. On thehigher grounds Sa.xifra.ga stellaris, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea, Salix herbacea, Listera cordata, Juniperus nana, Lycopodium alpinum are characteristic. Several picturesque tarns lie among the hills, and yield Lobelia Dortmanna and Isoefes lacusfris. An interesting hybrid Horsetail, Equisetum Morale (E. arvense x limosum) has one of its few Irish stations by the Bann River above Hilltown.

Posted on April 15th, 2008 under Botany. Tags: Botany, Down, enescens, hibernicum, Meconopsis cambrica, moutne mountain, Sanssurea alpina, slieve donard. Comments: None