NOTES ON BRISTOL PLANTS 03 



Cyperusfmcus L. Near Clevedon, S. Discovered September, 

 1900, by Mr. S. I. Coley (see Journ. Bot. 1900, 446). The Bristol 

 district has been fruitful in surprises, but no discovery could have 

 been more unexpected by local field-botanists than that of the 

 second British Ci/peras in North Somerset, within a mile of the 

 spot where C. lowjiis existed until recently. The locality is a peaty 

 valley between the Cadbury and Walton ranges of hills. Springs 

 rise at the head of the valley, and drain towards Portishead by 

 wide shallow rliines, with which intersecting ditches are connected. 

 These ditches readily become choked with vegetation, and are 

 cleared with the spade at least once a year. It unfortunately 

 happened that those in which Mr. Coley met with the plant under- 

 went this cleaning process before we could visit the place, so but 

 few specimens were seen in situ. But an examination of the ditch- 

 contents that had been thrown out upon the banks, and from which 

 some very fair examples were recovered, showed that the Cyperiis 

 existed m great abundance in at least two rhines, and had extended 

 along them quite a mile. It is not easy to understand how annual 

 plants can maintain themselves under such circumstances. How- 

 ever, there are many that do. The Cyperus seeds very copiously, 

 and is probably perpetuated by the few plants left upon the ditch- 

 sides. The idea of recent introduction cannot, in our view, be 

 entertained. 



Scirpas ceinaus Vahl. Near Clevedon, S. It was whilst ex- 

 ploring the Cyperus locality that we came upon this sedge, equally 

 abundant on ditch-banks, and covering a larger area. There is but 

 one other known locality in Somersetshire. 



S. Taherncemontani Gmel. Abundant for about eighty yards 

 along a marsh-ditch at Ken Moor, near Yatton, S. Occurs only in 

 three known localities in the whole county of Somerset. 



Scluenus nigricans L. The restoration of this species to the 

 flora of Somerset by its discovery near Winscombe, which is in the 

 district of the Bristol Coal Field, was recorded by Mr. W. F. 

 Miller in this Journal for August, 1900. 



Carex axillaris Good. Four or five large plants on a ditch- 

 bank near Yatton, S., growing with both C. vulpina and C. renwta. 



C. Hornschuchiana Hoppe. Peaty meadows near Weston-in- 

 Gordano, and at Max, near Winscombe, S. First found at the 

 latter station by Mr. Waterfall (Fl. Som. p. 865). Much less 

 frequent in North Somerset than C. distam, the inland stations for 

 which are remarkably numerous in that vice-county. 



. The following aliens have been observed : — Malva parvi/iora L. 

 A large patch by a roadside in St. Phihp's Marsh, Bristol, S. — 

 Amarantlius retrofiexas L. Very fine and abundant on made 

 ground in St. Philip's Marsh, Bristol, S. ; also on rubbish near 

 Portishead railway-station, S., associated with A. dejiexush. 



