140 NOTES or PLANTS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF OXFORD. 



This would be of move biological significance tluiii the dale wlieu the first 

 bloom struggles into notice. 



Caltha palnstris, L. — I collected a considerable series of specimens of 

 this fine plant from Christ Church Meadow, Avhere, after the subsidence 

 of tlie floods, it makes a splendid show. They probably include C. G/ie- 

 rcnigerii, 13or., in which the sepals being more ovate do not overlap at the 

 base. The flowers I found varied from 2:^ to 1| inches in diameter, and 

 with from 8 to 5 sepals. The radical leaves were, in some cases, almost orbi- 

 cular, with overlapping lobes ; iu others triangular-reniforra, with a very 

 shallow basal sinus, a form which, except that the flowers are the normal 

 size, must approach C. Jiahelli folia, Pursh. The toothing of the upper 

 leaves varied to any extent. 



Arahis Tiirrita, L. — Although given for Oxford in the ' Student's 

 Flora ' and the 'Compendium of the Cybele Britannica,' it is no longer to 

 be found growing there spontaneously. It was exterminated in repairing 

 the walls of Magdalen College. Mr. Baxter informed me that it lingered 

 in Magdalen walks, and that he endeavoured to establish it in the island 

 in the Cherwell, but was unsuccessful. 



Sisymbrium Irio, L., comes up abundantly in the Botanic Garden, 

 outside of which it has occurred occasionally as an escape, as in the ad- 

 joining lane leading to Christ Church Meadow, and by the side of the 

 Cherwell, next the garden. 



Diantlms ccesins, Sm., is now well established on many of the old lime- 

 stone walls, and was said to have been introduced directly from Cheddar. 

 It grows, amongst other places, on the garden-wall of Wadham College, 

 and near the entrance to the Cathedral. I have also noticed it on walls 

 iu Taunton, Somerset. 



Geranium rotandifolium, L. — Abundant about the Oxfordshire suburbs 

 of Oxford. I do not recall its occurrence on the southern side, though, no 

 doubt, it is to be found. 



Geiim intermedium, Ehrh. — Sparingly, with G. rivale, L., and G. urha- 

 mwi, L., in a copse, near Elsfield, Oxfordshire. 



Saitguisorba officinalis, L. — Abundant in meadows by the Thames, near 

 Sandford, Berks. Likely to be overlooked, as the early leaves are cut with 

 the grass. 



Hippiiris vulgaris, L. — Binsey Common, Berks. 

 Sedum. dasyphjllum, L. — Walls at Besselsleigh, Berks. 

 CEnantlie silaifolia, Bieb. — Christ Church Meadow, abundant near the 

 " Barges." Also in meadows by the river near the old railway station. 

 (E. Lachenalii, Gmel. — BulUngdon, Oxon, H. Boswell. 

 (E. flmiatilis, Colera. — -There is an early stage of the growth of this 

 plant, which is not, I think, described by Mr. Varenne in his paper in the 

 ' Phytologist ' (o. s. vol. iv. p. 673). My specimens, collected towards 

 the end of April, exhibit a short corm-like rhizome, about an inch in 

 length, with very abbreviated internodes, and terminated apparently by 

 the base of the flowering stem of the preceding year. A tuft of leaves, 

 about ten inches long, has sprung from one of the nodes. These leaves 

 are not bipinnate, but only pinnate; the pinnse bipinnatifid, with rather 

 narrow, almost laciniate segments. The general outline of the whole 

 lamina is oblong, and about four inches in length. Another baiTeu spe- 

 cimen, collected at the end of May, agrees exactly with Mr. Varenne's 

 description, being an elongated stem rooting at the nodes, and with 



