Short Notes OBSERVATIONS ON INLAND POPULATIONS OF VIOLA CANINA L. IN SOUTH-

Viola canina is a rare inland species in southern Scotland and northern England. It is virtually restricted to coastal habitats. Recently I discovered several small inland colonies in the Tweed valley of south-eastern Scotland where it was previously unknown, and rediscovered several inland sites, mainly in Cumbria in north-western England. In 1983, colonies of V. canina were found by the River Yarrow in Selkirks., v.c. 79, and their identification confirmed by Prof. D. H. Valentine. Since then further colonies have been found by the Rivers Yarrow, Ettrick and Tima Water in Selkirks., and by the River Tweed in Roxburghs., v.c. 80. Grassland sites near Ancrum in Roxburghs., and Peel Hospital in Selkirks. also support small colonies. The altitudes of the localities vary from 45-252 m. In 1985 V. canina was refound on the shores of Ullswater in both Westmorland, v.c. 69, and Cumberland, v.c. 70, where it was first discovered at the end of the last century (Hodgson 1898; Wilson 1936). However it appears to have gone from the rocky islands of Ullswater (G. Halliday pers. comm.). Small populations still occur on the western bank of the River Lune west of Sed burgh in Westmorland and on the eastern bank in N. W. Yorks., v.c. 65. I found an additional riverside colony by the River Eden in the Baronswood gorge in Cumberland. The two grassland sites known to me are on Wan Fell near Penrith. The riverside habitats consist of rock outcrops, which extend into the beds of the rivers and which are inundated only by the most severe floods. The Selkirks. rock habitats and those by the River Lune are composed of hard, fine grained and relatively basic Silurian strata. Those by the River Tweed are Carboniferous basalts, and the Ullswater rocks are of the Borrowdale volcanic series which are basic in places. Although the Permian sandstones by the River Eden are acid, the riverside rocks support a calcicolous flora from flushing with lime-laden water and silt deposition. V. canina grows on niches and ledges on these open rock outcrops, which support a flora that include