Floristik, Geographie. Systematik etc. 159 



Thomas, H. H., Sketches of Vegetation at home and 

 abroad. VII. The Vegetation of the Island of Gothland. 

 (New Phytologist. X. p. 260-270. 2 plates. 1911.) 



This is a brief outline of the more extensive plant communities 

 regarded from the English outlook. The Vegetation has been descri- 

 bed e. g. by K. Johansson (1897) who distinguishes 9 communities. 

 The present paper indicates that 4 or 5 formations are present, and 

 some of these receive special notice. a) Fenlands occupy a large 

 portion of the lower land, formerly about one-half of the island. 

 These are derived from lakes more extensive in earlier times, and 

 an examination of the Vegetation of a lake and a lake-bed confirm 

 the identity of the Vegetation of the East Anglian fens. b) Calca- 

 reous bog with Primula farinosa as a characteristic plant shows in 

 its general Vegetation considerable similarity with certain bogs in 

 northern England, c) Pine Forest is extensively represented and 

 is colonising the drier areas; a number of representative species are 

 given. Other plant associations e. g. rock plants, the Vegetation on 

 old waste heaps of quarries, and hedgerow plants are briefly noticed. 

 The paper is of interest as it shows the presence of plants in the 

 associations which are absent in England. The plates include 3 

 photographs of Vegetation. W. G. Smith. 



Wilson, M., Plant Distribution in the Woods of North-East 

 Kent. (Ann. Bot. XXV. p. 857—902. PL 3. figs. 4. 1911.) 



The area includes different soils e. g. chalk, clay with flints, 

 certain Lower Eocene deposits and Alluvium. The woods with their 

 soils are shewn on a series of maps. One aspect of the study has 

 been the influence of soil on the distribution of woodland plants. 

 The plant distribution indicates two main types distinguished by 

 relative abundance or scarcity of certain species, of which typical 

 lists are given: ä) Vegetation on the chalk and clay with flints; 

 b) on the Tertiary formations which vary from light sands to heavy 

 clays. This is not a contrast of calcareous and non-calcareous soils 

 for e. g. Viola hivta and Hypericum hivsutum characteristic for the 

 chalk are replaced on the clay with flints by parallel species V. 

 Riviniana and H. perforatum ; again, the London Clay (Tertiary) 

 has species (e. g. Potentilla silvestris, Solidago Virganrea, Calluna, 

 etc.) which are absent on the clay with flints; the reasons are to be 

 discussed in a later paper. 



Another line of study follows the periodic changes of the ground 

 Vegetation arising from the clearance of these "coppice woods" at 

 intervals of 14—45 years, so that a shade period with minimum 

 Vegetation is followed by a period of illumination and evaporation. 

 The changes of these periods have already been indicated (Bot. 

 Cent. 119 p. 118). In the present paper details for woods on different 

 types of soil are given for the light and shade periods, flowering 

 plants and mosses included. 



Special attention was also given to the morphological peculiari- 

 ties of certain plants. In the case of bulbous or tuberous species 

 {Endymion nutans, Adoxa Moschatellina, Ranunculus Ficaria, Aviim 

 maculatum), absence from certain types of soil is correlated with 

 presence of pebbles or other obstructions which prevent the Under- 

 ground parts from reaching a suitable depth. Other species are 

 dealt with in the same way, presence or absence being traced to 



