Carrington Moss of years this raises the level of peat and forms a gently sloping dome (hence, raised). Such areas support a wide range of flora and fauna; "Sphagnum balticum", a medium-sized bog moss, was recorded on Carrington Moss in the 1880s, although locally it is now presumed to be extinct. Lancashire- or bog asphodel ("Narthecium ossifragum"), white beak-sedge ("Rhynchospora alba"), cranberries, bog-rosemary ("Andromeda polifolia"), and the cotton sedge have also been recorded. In 1923 species of trees recorded by E. Price Evans for the "Journal of Ecology" included English oak ("Quercus robur"), and common ash ("Fraxinus excelsior"). Undergrowth included common hazel
Portlethen Moss lower elevations in every direction. Due to the high winds, moderate precipitation and cool temperatures that generally prevail, conditions are favourable for formation of an acid bog, since water stagnates, but eventually evaporates with ensuing acidity enhancement of decaying organic matter. There was virtually no drainage outlet in prehistoric times, and little drainage even in modern times. Many coastal mosses were initiated by the process of glaciation, which sheared rock formations to a generally level terrain, while also gouging moderate sized craters that would pond. This description fits the fundamental situation of Portlethen Moss, where sphagnum would have flourished over