Scottish bogs - Grass of Parnassus

[robg]

I was in one of the hanging coires above Glen Nevis recently and found a surprisingly well flowered damp meadow (my feet tell me they are all damp on Scottish hillsides) which included the little white flowers of Grass of Parnassus.  At the time I didn't recognise it and had book id'ing, and then did a google to find out the source of the name - grows extensively on Mount Parnassus and is so well favoured by cows it is called a grass.

The thing that intrigued me is that my wild flower book categorically says calcareous which would fit in with Mount Paranssus.  But now having also found it in the Kintail hills I'm wondering if some Scottish hillside wet areas aren't as acid as we think they are.

Anybody got any comments - a suggested option is to carry some litmus strips around with me, but that does seem to be a bit geekish!

Rob

[Matt T]

It's possible that you found a site with a base-rich flush. Whilst much of the Scottish hillsides are covered with acidic soils there will be places where there are alkaline rocks underlying or springs welling up that have passed through such rocks. These flushes and their fringes are great places to look for more interesting plants when you are out on the hills.

[robg]

Many thanks Matt - I can see that I will have to add a packet of litmus strips to my list of things for the hills !!  

We came down the really lovely glen going north from Sgurr na Carnach on the north Kintail ridge and again I found the plant in just one locale - just that little bit of base rock somewhere then.

Rob

[Hoy]

Here in Norway is Grass of Parnassus usually found in bogs like you and Matt describe together with other plants needing "calcareous soil", i. e. Salix reticulata, Saxifraga aizoides etc. Grass of Parnassus tolerates the wetter parts of the bog.

But it also grows on driers sites, screes for example, when the rock is calcareous.

[TC]

Other good locations are

At the end of the Craignish peninsula outlined in black.  Widespread in this area

In the Durness area of NW Sutherland marked in highlighter. It's years since I was last up there in summer but it was quite plentiful in pockets all over the place.  The added bonus was Primula scotica, Dryas octopetala, orchids in varieties and saxifrage.