43 



5. — XOTES ON THE PlANTS ON WHICH THE METEOROLOGICAL SoCIETY 



rxviTEs Observations as to their Time of Flowering. 



By the Rev. "W. Marsden Hind, LL.D. 



[Read 13th May, 1875.] 



As I have never made special observations on the season of 

 flowering of plants, I am not in a position to give any trustworthy in- 

 formation on this subject to the members of this Society. I purpose, 

 therefore, saying but little on this point, and must content myself 

 with making a few general remarks on the plants contained in the 

 Meteorological Society's list with respect to which observations are 

 invited. 



As all the plants contained in that list, with the exception of 

 three, viz. Senecio Jacohma, common ragwort ; Gentiana campestris, 

 field gentian; and Galanthus nivalis, the snowdi-op, are natives 

 either of HaiTOw or Pinner, it may confidently be expected that 

 all will be found in the County of Hertford. 



Plants 1 to 4 in the list belong to the Ptanunculus family.* Of 

 these, Ranunculus Ficaria, pilewort, and Caltha palustris, marsh 

 marigold, closely resemble each other in their glossy heart-shaped 

 leaves, yet are vastly different in size and habit, as well as in the 

 flowers, which in the former are pale yellow, generally of from 

 eight to ten narrow petals ; but in the latter are of a rich golden 

 yellow, the broad petals forming a well-rounded, and occasionally 

 a deep cup. This plant in the North of England and Ireland does 

 not come into flower until the latter end of April, fully a month 

 later than at Marlborough, and in Co. Antrim is usually known as 

 the May flower. 



Plants 6 to 8 belong to the Crucifers. Of these the Cardamine 

 pratensis, cuckoo flower, or lady's smock of the meadows, must be 

 known to all. The Cardamine hirsuta, haiiy bittercress, with 

 small white flowers, is frequent in damp places and about gardens 

 throughout the spring. It is now distinguished from a larger 

 plant common in shady places, with larger and more angular leaves 

 and with a taller and more zigzag stem, and which has been 

 separated under the name Cardamine sijlvatica, or flexuosa. The 

 Braha verna, whitlow-grass, is a very modest plant, often not more 

 than an inch high. Its minute stem rises from a tiny rosette of 

 leaves, and bears a few small white flowers, which develope into 

 short oval seed-pods. 



10, Polygala vulgaris, milk- wort, is a pretty trailing plant with 

 woody stem, aff'ecting hilly pastures, and exhibiting a considerable 

 variety of colour in its blossoms. The normal tinge appears to be 

 dark blue or purple, from which it varies thi'ough pink to pure 

 wliite. The blossoms are peculiar in form, approaching those 

 somewhat of a small vetch. It may be found in flower the greater 

 part of the summer and occasionally far on in the autumn. 



* The numbers here given refer to the list at page 36. 



