MAIANTHEMUM BIFOLIUM IN ENGLAND 207 



Antwerp, Brabant, and Limbourg. I saw it in a fir wood on the 

 south-east slope of Mount Pilatus, in Switzerland, some years 

 ago, and also in w T oods near Lucerne, growing under similar con- 

 ditions to the Hampstead locality. It is also found in N. China, 

 Korea, Japan, and is plentiful in the Northern United States. 



Summary. 



The foregoing observations show that Maianthemum occurs in 

 at least five English counties under similar naturally ecological 

 conditions. Moreover, the Middlesex locality does not differ in 

 such a way from the other stations as to make it likely that the 

 plant w T as introduced there. If the localities are compared it will 

 be found that they have much in common. Another point in 

 favour of its being indigenous, that the wood at Hampstead where 

 it grows is believed to be one of the few natural woods still 

 existing in Middlesex. I do not attach much importance to the 

 fact that Anemone apennina, an introduced species, is found in 

 the same woods or that the locality is in private grounds, though 

 of course these are points against its nativity. :;c 



De Candolle (Geogr. Bot. 696, 1855) has the following note on 

 the status of this species in England : — " On a ernis des doutes soit 

 sur la presence soit sur l'origine de cette espece dans la Grande- 

 Bretagne (Bab. Man. 2 edit. p. 324 ; Wats. Cyb. ii. p. 465 ; iii. p. 514). 

 Cependant d'apres les citations memes de ces auteurs, Gerarde 

 l'indiquait comme spontanee dans deux localites et de nos jours on 

 l'a retrouvee ca et la apres avoir efface l'espece des Flores anglaises. 

 Elle abonde dans la peninsule scandinave et in Allemagne jusque 

 dans la partie occidentale ; elle existe dans le nord de la France, 

 par consequent aucune raison geographique ne peut fair soupconner 

 une exclusion de la Grande-Bretagne. Loin d'etre naturalisee 

 elle semble avoir existe jadis plus frequemment et avoir diminue 

 avec les forets." 



The view that the May Lily was formerly much commoner 

 than at present but has decreased with the woods is suggested by 

 Parkinson, who says (Theatr. Bot. 505(1640)): — "It groweth 

 in moist shadowie and grassie places of woods in many places of 

 the Kealme." 



I have seen the following British specimens : — 



Middlesex. — Hampstead : Coll. A. Irvine, without date (Herb. 

 J. S. Mill, Kew); W. Borrer, 1845 [Herb. Bovver, Kew) ; J. B. 

 Syme, May, 1852 (Hevb. Watson, Kew, and Hevb. Mus. Brit.) ; 

 Herb. Maude, 1853; W. Thiselton-Dyer, 1863 (Herb. Kew); 

 H. Trimen, May 21, 1863, and May 22, 1866 (Herb. Mus. Brit.) ; 

 James Kay, August, 1866 (Herb. Mus. Brit.). 



N.E. Yorks. — Scarborough : Coll. J. Breby, 1860 (Herb. 

 Borrer) ; P. Reynolds, June, 1861 ; Wilkinson, June, 1866 ; 



* In Dr. Trimen's interleaved copy of the Flora of Middlesex in the British 

 Museum Herbarium, there is a MS. note suggesting that it may have been 

 introduced by the Earl of Bute, of whom Lord Mansfield (then Solicitor- 

 General) bought the estate in 1755. 



