Comparisons

Raasay & Rona compared with Skye

There are many species found on Skye that are not known on Raasay and Rona. This is hardly surprising given the sheer size of Skye and the habitats that are absent from Raasay and Rona - such as urban areas and lots of land over 1500 ft. Plants that are fairly widespread on Skye but have never been recorded on Raasay or Rona include Galium boreale (Northern Bedstraw), Saxifraga oppositifolia (Purple Saxifrage) and Trollius europaeus (Globeflower).

Raasay & Rona have Ophioglossum azoricum (Small Adder's-tongue) and Cladium mariscus (Great Fen-sedge) which are not known on Skye, although the latter is also on Soay.

Raasay has the only vice-county sites for Allium vineale (Wild Onion) and Pyrola rotundifolia (Round-leaved Wintergreen).

Nuphar lutea is only known from Raasay (including Fladday) and Scalpay.  An old record from Skye is now thought to be in error.

Raasay & Rona compared with the Nearby Mainland

The area of the Scottish Mainland nearest to Raasay and Rona is part of Wester Ross

Interestingly, Trientalis europaea (Chickweed-wintergreen) is present at Pol Domhain, just five kilometres east of Raasay.

Rona compared with Raasay

As Raasay is to Skye, so Rona is to Raasay - smaller with less altitude and less recent human influence. Raasay also has much more varied geology.

So again, there are many species on Raasay that are not known on Rona. However, there are a few records from Rona of plants that are not known on Raasay:

There are no Rona records for Geranium robertianum (Herb-Robert) or Orchis mascula (Early-purple Orchid) which are quite frequent on Raasay. Surprisingly Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone), Juncus squarrosus (Heath Rush) and Littorella uniflora (Shoreweed) have not been recorded since the 1930s.  For more details of old records go here.