Ba ee ee 0709 € — mM. 
FLORA OF WATER-MEADOWS. ‘ 459 
A numerical summary of the species which have been enume- 
rated gives the following results :— 
Graminez. | Leguminose. | Miscellanes. | Total. 
Total on water-meadows ...... 26 7 52 85 
Total on dry meadows ......... 20 10 55 85 
Exclusively on water-meadows 10 1 32 43 
Exclusively on dry meadows... 3 4 35 42 
Common to both localities ... 15 6 20 41 
Total in both localities ......... 29 11 87 127 
The identity of the totals in the first pair of lines, though 
interesting, is of course merely a coincidence. The table shows 
that, in all 127 species of flowering plants occur in the two 
localities, that two-thirds of these occur on the water-meadows 
and two-thirds on the dry meadows, whilst one third of the total 
number are found in both localities. Half the number of species 
on the water-meadows do not occur on the dry meadows, and 
half of those on the dry meadows are not found on the water- 
meadows. It should be stated that the water-meadow species 
are restricted to those which constitute the herbage. The plants 
growing exclusively in the water “carriers” themselves, such as 
Ranunculus aquatilis, L., Nuphar lutea, Sm., Menyanthes trifoliata, 
L., Iris Pseudacorus, L., Alisma Plantago, L., Sagittaria sagitti- 
Jolia, L., Butomus umbellatus, L., Potamogeton, sp., and Spar- 
ganium, sp., are beyond the scope of this inquiry, as are the species 
of Rubus, Rosa, Salix, &c., in the hedgerows. 
NOTES ON THE GRAMINEZ. 
The Gramines of the water-meadows offer many points of 
special interest, whether compared with those of the dry meadow 
land at Rothamsted or with the dry meadows of their immediate 
neighbourhood. It has been stated that three grasses, common 
at Rothamsted, do not occur upon the water-meadows, whilst 
ten of the water-meadow grasses are not represented in Ro- 
thamsted Park. Nevertheless, the former three species—Avena 
pubescens, Dactylis glomerata, and Festuca ovina—are commonly 
found on the dry grass-lands bordering the water-meadows, whilst 
the following grasses not found on the water-meadows are abun- 
dantly seen in their immediate vicinity :— 
Triodia decumbens, Beauv. Bromus asper, Murr. 
ues cristata, Pers. sterilis, L. . 
atabrosa aquatica, Beauv. Brachypodium sylvaticum, Beauv. 
Festuca gigantea, Vill. 
