HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



147 



many of our railways may bring buried seeds to 

 the surface, which there vegetate and produce 

 plants that were not known in that locality 

 previously. 



There is on this subject much difference of 

 opinion among botanists, for some plants are ac- 

 cepted as indigenous by some, and questioned by 

 others. That "doctors will disagree" is a proverb 

 that no doubt will be true to the end of time, but 

 if a plant be admitted into one of our older floras, 

 and rejected from a more modern one, it would be 

 more satisfactory to know the reason for such an 

 omission. 



There are not a few examples of this diversity of 

 opinion. I will select a few from the 7th edition 

 of the "London Catalogue," which we may suppose 

 has been compiled with great care, and may be con- 

 sidered almost an authority on such doubtful 

 matters. 



Teucrium botrys is admitted as a native, in the 

 7th edition of the "London Catalogue," yet it was 

 not discovered more than a generation since, and is 

 confined, I believe to two localities, both very near 

 each other. It is not mentioned by either Wither- 

 ing or Smith, and Arnott considers it doubtful. 

 Yet another plant of this same genus, the T. 

 chamcedrys in this 7th edition of the " London Cata- 

 logue " is marked doubtful, and is also considered 

 such by Smith. This plant has been known in 

 England for a very considerable period, and is 

 fcund in many different places. I gathered it last 

 autumn on the ruined walls of Winchelsea Castle, 

 in a solitary, barren spot, far from any house or 

 garden ; the idea of its being only a naturalized 

 stranger appeared almost ridiculous. What are the 

 reasons for admitting T. botrys, of such recent dis- 

 covery, and considering an old inhabitant like T. 

 chamcedrys a mere interloper ? 



Leucojum astivum was discovered by Curtis in the 

 immediate vicinity of London, and one might 

 imagine fifty reasons why it may have been intro- 

 duced, yet it is admitted at once by Withering and 

 Smith. Arnott considers it a doubtful native, but 

 it is admitted in the 7th edition of the "London 

 Catalogue." This plant, though extremely 

 rare, and of comparatively recent discovery, is ad- 

 mitted as indigenous, almost without being 

 challenged. 



Setaria viridis is admitted as a native in the 7th 

 edition of the " London Catalogue," whilst the 

 Echiuochlora Crus-galli {Panicum of Withering and 

 Smith) is marked as doubtful. Arnott rejects both 

 the genera of Setaria and Panicum from our list of 

 native grasses. Both the S. viridis and Echino- 

 chlora Crus-galli have at different times sprung up in 

 my garden, which some twenty years ago was a 

 common, and I attribute their appearance to the 

 ground having been dug deep, and consequently the 

 seeds were brought nearer the surface. 



Narcissus biflorus is admitted as indigenous both 

 by Withering and Smith, but Arnott considers it 

 doubtful, and also in 7th edit. "London Cat." Yet 

 it is found in many localities, and I have gathered it 

 in a remote and secluded part in the Isle of Wight, 

 where I found it in great profusion, and where, 

 judging by common sense only, it could not be 

 otherwise than " wild." 



Examples might be mentioned which would 

 render my observations to an inordinate length. 

 One more must suffice. 



Liliummartagon finds uo place in Smith, and both 

 Withering and Arnott consider it doubtful, as also 

 7th edit."Lond. Cat." Without venturing an opinion 

 on the matter, I would just say this plant has been 

 found near Box-hill, for a very considerable time 

 past, not half a mile from the spot, where the 

 newly- discovered but admitted Teucrium botrys 

 grows, for I am conversant with them both. I was 

 told a short time ago by a gentleman that he has 

 more than once found the Martagon on an island in 

 the river Eden, Cumberland, and also in other 

 places in that locality. The seeds have no pappus, 

 and could not be taken there by the wind. How 

 did the plant get there ? 



Plants, not indigenous, do not, as a rule, spread 

 extensively ; they may now and then be found, but 

 they have no tendency to perpetuate themselves. 

 For example, when once mignonette, eschscholtzia, 

 erysimum, anil the more ordinary annuals, are once 

 in a garden, they frequently spring up of them- 

 selves ; but when do we see these plants growing 

 by the roadside spontaneously, though nothing 

 would seem more likely than that stray seeds should 

 be scattered about in an inhabited district ? Is it 

 not because they are not indigenous, and do not 

 accommodate themselves to uncultivated ground, 

 as do our native plants ? From what I have said 

 before, it does not seem any cogent reason to sup- 

 pose a flower not indigenous because Bay or Dil- 

 lenius do not speak of it; not a few have been 

 added to the list of our native plants since their 

 time, to say nothing of unintentional omissions being 

 made by the most accurate observers. Neither of 

 these two great botanists mentions Galanthus nivalis, 

 though it is found in such abundance and in so 

 many places as almost to leave no room for doubt, 

 but the recently-discovered Leucojum is at once 

 admitted ! These are but crude remarks, but they 

 may tend to elicit some information on the subject 

 from those who have investigated the matter 

 thoroughly. H. E. Wilkinson. 



A lady living at the seaside, and particularly 

 fond of horses, will be really thankful if any gentle- 

 man will inform her of effective means to prevent 

 horses being tormented by flies in the stable.— 



Address, Editor, Science-Gossip. 



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