Ballinacor South; 7th botanical subdivision

Botanical subdivisions Table

Table of the 8 regions of the county which brunker devised to assist him on his field trips and to provide a basic ground plan for future botanical surveys. The eight Districts are as follows: 1.Lower Talbotstown 137sq.miles, 541 species 2.Rathdown 59 sq. miles, 673species 3.Upper Talbotstown 82 sq. miles, 523 species 4.Ballinacor North 113 sq. miles, 515 species 5.Newcastle 86 sq. miles, 702 species 6.Shillelagh 68 sq. miles, 468 species 7.Ballinacor South 123 sq. miles, 449 species 8.Arklow 113 sq. miles, 653 species

Botanical subdivisions Table

Botanical subdivisions Table

Table of the 8 regions of the county which brunker devised to assist him on his field trips and to provide a basic ground plan for future botanical surveys. The eight Districts are as follows: 1.Lower Talbotstown 137sq.miles, 541 species 2.Rathdown 59 sq. miles, 673species 3.Upper Talbotstown 82 sq. miles, 523 species 4.Ballinacor North 113 sq. miles, 515 species 5.Newcastle 86 sq. miles, 702 species 6.Shillelagh 68 sq. miles, 468 species 7.Ballinacor South 123 sq. miles, 449 species 8.Arklow 113 sq. miles, 653 species

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DISTRICT 7. BALLINACOR SOUTH

Approximate area , 123 square miles Flora, 449 species

Boundaries. From Table Mountain to the Meeting of the Waters, as District 4. By the road to Carty's Corner and Cronebeg to Coat's Bridge; thence to Ballynagilky Bridge, as District 6; along the Carlow boundary to Rathduffmore Bridge, and thence to Table Mountain as District 3.

Nearly half the Barony is occupied by the Lugnaquilla masif, and the only lowland portion consists of the marshy valley of the Derry Water, together with its feeders at Ballinglen and Aughrim. The rock is massive granite, with "islands" of schist on the mountain tops; the soil is entirely acid, the main glaciation never having penetrated so far ; consequently the Flora is the smallest in the county. Standing water is confined to the moraine-dammed tarns - Kelly's Lough and Art's Lough- on Lugnaquilla and there is very little native wood or scrub. There is no true watershed in the main valley ; bog drains at Kilcommon connect the Derry River , which is the tributary of the Slaney, with the Derry Water flowing to the Avonmore.

The list of plants, common in the County but missing from this District, is a considerable one :

egs. Lychnis Diuma, Alisma Plantago, Bromus gigantus.

Several other common plants, which do occur, are very hard to find.

The only native wood of any size in the Barony lies in Ballinacor Demesne, which has an introduced undergrowth of rhododendrons, and consequently woodland plants are scarce. There is much recent forestry plantation in Glenmalure, and between Croghanmoira and Aughrim, but only Larch and Spruce are grown.

A notable feature of the Barony is the frequent occurrence of the American rush, Juncus macer, growing as it does in Kerry, along the damp margins of by-roads and lanes. While its claim to nativity cannot be proved , it seems possible it is native here.

The lower valley of the Ow River produces the lovely var. coerulea of Anemone nemorosa so freely in the spring that it is known to gardeners as the "Aughavannagh Variety".