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NOTE ON ACCOMMODATION IN POLYGALA VULGAEIS 



By Lilian Baker, M.Sc. 



This species of Polygala is distinguished by the possession of 

 crowded lower leaves, oval in shape, and scattered upper leaves, 

 alternate and lanceolate. The raceme is always terminal and the 

 calyx wing is as broad as the fruit. The crowding of the lower 

 leaves and the alternating of the upper are usually sufficient to 

 distinguish it from P. serpyllacea Weihe. The equality of breadth 

 in wing and fruit distinguish it from P. oxyptera Reichb. 



It is commonly assumed to be limited in occurrence to meadows, 

 pastures and heathy places. The following table, compiled from 

 the lists in the Types of British Vegetation and similar sources, 

 contrasts its habitat and, wherever possible, its frequency with 

 those of the allied species. 



P. vulgaris. P. serpyllacea. P. oxyptera. 



Chalk, abundant. Drier siliceous ground, fre- Chalk grassland, 



quent. local. 



Neutral grassland, occasional. Nardetum (siliceous), less 



abundant. 



Grass heath on sand, frequent. Calluna moor, occasional. 



Calluna heath (Scottish). Nardetum (grass moor), fre- 



quent. 



Limestone grassland, abun- Subalpine grassland, 

 dant. 



Chalk grassland (dyke) , abun- Chalk grassland , absent, 

 dant. 



Bentham & Hooker attribute to P. oxyptera habitats in dry, 

 sandy, and rocky places ; its distribution appears, however, to be 

 very imperfectly known (vide Journ. Bot. 1913, p. 241). 



The occurrence of P. vulgaris in a bog near Felin Hen, three 

 miles south of Bangor, suggests that its heath habitat must be 

 extended to include damp heath and lowland moor; the pecu- 

 liarities of its habit led to the observations and measurements 

 given below. 



For purposes of comparison specimens were obtained in June, 

 1913, from the grounds of the Old College, Bangor, where they 

 were found to be growing with much Anihoxanthnm adoratum, 

 Poa pratensis, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus mollis, Trifolium 

 repens, Veronica Chamcedrys, Potentilla erecta, Hypnum spp. This 

 heath-like association had attained a height of 15 cm. 



Other specimens were obtained from a sloping meadow, facing 

 south, near Felin Esgob, near Bangor; others from the lower 

 northern slopes of Carnedd Dafydd, the height of the grass in 

 these cases being about 8 cm. and 5 cm. respectively. 



The peculiarity of these forms when gathered in June is the 

 rosette habit (fig. 1). Specimens taken from the same places at 

 the end of September and beginning of October show a much 

 more irregular and diffuse type of branching. 



The rosette was not formed immediately at the base of the 

 stem, but at a short distance above it. 



