Ixxiv FLOKA OF BERKSHIRE 



Between Streatley, which is said with some authority to have been 

 the Roman 'Thamesis,' and Pangbourn a country of great beauty is 

 passed through. This is the headquarters of Cardamine amara. The 

 river affords Banuncidus JIuitans, R. heterophyllus, R. peltatus, Potamogeton 

 natcws, P. ])raelongus, P. {zoster aefoUus) compression, P. pectinatum, P. inter- 

 ruptus, Chara fragih's, var. Hedicigii, while its banks are bright with 

 Lythrum, Epilohium hirsutum, Thcdictrum Jlavum, Brassica sylvestris, and Iris, 

 and its holts afford Gera/iium pratense, Leucojum aestivum, and Conxcdlaria. 

 The higher ground has often a luxuriant growth of Clematis on its 

 wood borders, while Ccdamintha monfana, Laduca virosa, Blackstonia, 

 Cenfaurea nigra, var. decipiens, with many other local plants, are also to 

 be found. 



The exquisite beauty of Pangbourn, which has formed a subject for 

 tlie pictui^es of generations of artists, is now seriously marred, but 

 Maple Durham and the woods of Purley still retain miich of their 

 original charm. This narrow portion of the Thames valley, on a fine 

 summer evening, presents a scene than which few fairer can be found. 

 It exhibits on each side gracefully outlined and well-wooded chalk 

 hills ; in the foreground, near the noble river, are picturesquely 

 grouped the church tower, the many- chimneyed antique mansion of 

 the Blounts, and the romantic mill. Glimpses can be obtained of the 

 foaming water rushing through the weir. It has often been to me 

 a source of the most exqviisite enjoyment to gaze upon this scene, 

 while waiting for the evening train after a long day's walk, from 

 Princes Risborough or Newbury, and be soothed and refreshed by its 

 charms, to which must be added the lulling sound of the waters and 

 the cawing of the birds from the distant rookery ; while another sense 

 is gratified when a breath of the fragrant woodbine, meadow-sweet, 

 and clover, mingled in subtle combination, is brought by the light 

 evening air, while the blue wood-smoke slowly rises from the quiet 

 village and the mellowing summer mist forms and reveals itself, 

 till the whole restful landscape is at length transfigured by the 

 gorgeous radiance of the setting sun. 



The Pang district, in its geology and fiora, bears a close resemblance 

 to the district of Oxfordshire called the Lower Thames. A few 

 plants have been found on the Oxfordshire side which have hitherto 

 evaded discovery on the Berkshire side of the Thames. These are 

 Phegopteris Dryopteris and P. ccdcarea (Robertiana), Pyrola minor, Lycopodium 

 Selago, L. ckcvatum, Rubus rudis, Cephalanthera ensifolia, and Antennaria 

 dioica. 



The Pang district, however, possesses Ornithogalum pyrenaicurn, Drosera 

 longifolia, Equisetxim sylvatt'cum, Osmunda, Anemone Pulsaiilla, Salix repens, 

 Gcdixim sylvestre. Euphorbia Cyparissias, Crepis biennis, Hypericum Elodes, 

 Gtum rivale, G. intermedium, and Valerianella carinata, which are not on 



