R. G. Stapledon and T. J. Jenkin 31 



pastures, but a number of plants, typical of tended grasslands, are 

 met with, on the disturbed fescue pasture (see Table I). 



2. Lowland disturbed heath fescue pasture (50'-600'). Small areas 

 of heath occur at these lower altitudes, usually comparatively near 

 the sea^ or on the tops of the higher hills in the zones of cultivated 

 land proper. Some of these have doubtless never been ploughed but 

 since they are nearly all grazed by stock having periodic access to tended 

 and young pastures, they are considerably interfered with, and, conse- 

 quently, in most cases, appertain more to the semi-natural than the 

 natural^. Gorse and bracken are as usual abundant, Ulex europaeus 

 being now as or more plentiful than U. Gallii, The Leguminosae 

 (5. 15. 33) are considerably more plentiful on the ground flora than 

 on the foregoing types ; this is due to the predominance of Lotus 

 corniculatus and Trifolium repens. Trifolium pratense, T. minus and 

 Vicia Cracca are frequent, whilst Lathyrus pratensis is more plentiful 

 than L. montanus. The chief Gramiaeae are as follows : Agrostis vulgaris 

 (with excess of A. puniila near the sea) (20. 22. 30), Festuca ovina 

 (10. 16. 20), F. rubra (5. 8. 17), Triodia decumbens (2. 5. 8), Cynosurus 

 cristatus (0. 4. 13), and Anthoxanthum odoratum (up to 5 %). Lolium 

 perenne, Holcus mollis (especially near woods), Holcus lanalus, and 

 Poa spp. are sometimes distributed plants. It is interesting to note 

 that Agrostis vulgaris is here the predominant grass, being often more 

 plentiful than Festuca ovina and F. rubra together, and that Cynosurus 

 cristatus contributes satisfactorily to the herbage. The miscellaneous 

 plants are again represented by the heath herbs mentioned in Table I ; 

 Galium saxatile and Potentilla erecta do not, however, constitute the 

 predominant element in the included flora, seldom attaining to higher 

 specific frequencies than 30. and 25. respectively. Most of the " Inter- 

 mediate" and "Tended pasture" herbs of Table I are here normal 

 constituents of the vegetation, and, in addition, the following are of 

 general or local occurrence : 



Lepidium Smithii (especially near Crepis virens (frequent) 



the sea) Leontodon hispidtis (locally abun- 



Sagina procumbens (frequent) dant) 



Daucus Carota (occasional) Carlina vtdgaris (near the sea) 



Solidago Virgaurea (especially near Senecio Jacobaea (in the absence of 

 woods) sheep grazing) 



^ Heath pastm-es also occur on the chffs quite close to the sea ; these, however, have 

 characteristics of their own and need not be considered here. 



- Evidence, however, suggests that further investigation will make it possible to 

 differentiate between natural and semi-natural types in the case of these somewhat 

 restricted heaths also. 



