Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles

I checked two known sites on Raasay yesterday for Dactlyorhiza viridis (Frog Orchid). Both were doing well, five small plants in one site and thirty-three up to 18 cm tall in the second.  They are not under much threat where they are – though I considered waving a stick at them.  These sites are on basic rocks – cliffs in fact, at 250 – 300 m altitude.  Many sites in the vice-county are on short coastal turf.   

The sites are near to the Arabis petraea – or should that now be A. lyrata? – (Northern Rock-cress) which is confined to a very small area on Raasay.  I counted a total of about 25 plants yesterday.  Lots of other nice things on the limestone like Draba incana (Hoary Whitlowgrass), Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort) etc.

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