FLORA OF SOMERSET. 151 



Following the introduction is a list of books and pamphlets 

 referred to in the work. Of these Mr. White's excellent little 

 Flora of the Bristol Coalfield may be said to form the basis of the 

 Hora of the extreme north of the county. Babington's Flora 

 Batiioniensis, which also deals with the N.E. corner, should not 

 perhaps have been quoted so often without comment ; the list was 

 made by the writer as a schoolboy, destined indeed to future great- 

 ness, but not free from the blind generosity of youthful observers. 

 A few references such as Paimex jnilcher, "common on roadsides; 

 Fl. Bath." are misleading ; they are not now, even if they ever 

 were, true. 



The botanical divisions of the county are next defined, and each 

 is described geologically, physically, and botanically. The number 

 of species known in each district shows a variation of from 409 in 

 the little searched Dulverton division to 876 species in that of 

 Mendip. The latter owes its superiority to the varied habitats 

 which it presents on its high ground around Cheddar, flat marshes 

 on both sides of the range, and sea-coast which itself is varied with 

 cliffs, sand-dunes and mud-flats. The ten districts are, as usual, 

 divided by the main water-partings, with the exception of No. 5, 

 which is separated from 3 and 4 by the River Parret, a happy 

 arrangement, making the districts more uniform in size and com- 

 parable with Watson's vice- counties G and 7 which are divided by 

 the same river. An excellent map makes the plan clear. A "table 

 showing the distribution of species within the county," and taking 

 up thirty pages, immediately precedes the actual Flora. 



Passing now to the main part of the work, it is noticed that the 

 sequence is usually that of the London Catalogue, ed. ix. Syno- 

 nyms are few, and are included in the index in italics. The usual 

 information as to nativity, habitat, &c., precedes the localities, 

 special attention being given to the local names of well-known 

 species. Localities are classified under their district numbers, and 

 are followed by the name of their recorder, or the work or herbarium 

 from which the record comes. Those followed by no name are on 

 the responsibility of the author, and their large number is the best 

 witness of his intimate knowledge of his subject. More dates 

 might have been given with advantage, particularly as no list of 

 contributors with approximate dates is appended. It should be 

 remarked that Jenyns and L. Blomefield, both frequently men- 

 tioned, are one and the same person, viz. Rev. L. Jenyns, after- 

 wards Jenyns Blomefield. The localities are followed by a full 

 geographical note on local and general range, which should be 

 studied by any who take an interest in the foreign relations of our 

 flora, for the author is especially well equipped by his personal 

 knowledge of the floras of Portugal, the Canaries, and Madeira, for 

 dealing with this branch of his subject in a county yielding so 

 many Atlantic species. 



A few points of more than usual interest may be indicated. 

 In the Addenda are given in full Mr. Linton's reasons for 

 applying the name T/udictrum montannm Wallr. to the Cheddar 

 plant. It should be noticed that Mr. Murray considers Viola 



