SKETCH OF THE FLORA OF IPSWICH. 125 



Chelmsford, and Colchester, at the confluence of the rivers 

 Orwell and Gipping. The Orwell commences at the har- 

 bour, between Landguard Fort on the Suffolk side, and Har- 

 wich on the Essex side, as also does the Manningtree river 

 the Stour. Leaving the Stour, the Orwell takes a gradually 

 winding course for about twelve miles, when it passes the 

 gentle declivity upon which the town of Ipswich is situated. 

 Nearly half a mile beyond this it receives the waters of the 

 Gipping, at the lock which is considered the boundary be- 

 tween the two : beyond which the Orwell is continued under 

 the latter name, as far as the town of Stowmarket. The mar- 

 gins of these rivers afford a variety of plants ; several mari- 

 time species are met with in the salt marshes on the banks 

 of the Orwell, whilst the rich borders of the Gipping present 

 the botanist with a greater number of species. The geologi- 

 cal character of the country is various : chalk and clay extend 

 over a considerable portion of the district, and the strata of 

 sand and comminuted shells (provincially called " crag ") co- 

 ver most of the south-eastern part, whilst another portion 

 consists of gravel and siliceous sand. There is also in the 

 neighbourhood a considerable extent of heath on the eastern 

 side. The elevation of the higher parts of the district is from 

 about sixty to one hundred feet ; and the country is exceed- 

 ingly rich and well cultivated, beautifully undulating, and 

 contains much wood. The plants growing in the neighbour- 

 hood are the following, which I shall group together accord- 

 ing to the natural system of Lindley. There are about 471 

 phaenogamic plants, 12 Filices, and 4 Equisetacece. 



DICOTYLEDONES. 



RANUNCULACEiE. 



Clematis Vitalba. Common in hedge-rows. 



Thalictrum jlavum. In various parts of the borders of the Gii)ping. 

 Anemone nemorosa. Common in the woods. 

 Myosurus minimus. Rare in marshes near the Gipping. 

 Ranunculus Flammula. Boggy parts of Norton Heath, not uncommon. 

 auricomus. Woods ; rather local. 



sceleratus, "' 



— bulbosus. I Tv/r v 

 ^^^^c r Marshes, not uncommon. 



— repens. I ' 



— acris. ) 



— hederaceus. Watery places, local. 

 aquatilis. Ditches in several localities, common. 



FiCARiA verna. {Ranunculus Ficaria). Moist hanks : side of the Gipping, 



common. 

 Caltiia jKilustris. Marshes, very common. 



