INTRODUCTION CXI 



Bradfield in Berks.' ' Ferriiw. equinum [Hippocrepis comosa] also upon 

 Causham Hills neare Redding. E. A. & J. W.' The locality is in Oxford- 

 shire. ' Filix florida \_Osmunda regalis] upon Bunnish heath near Redding, 

 E. A.' ' Hypericum fomenfosiim [H. elodes] upon Bullmarsh heath 2 miles 

 off Redding, J. W.' ' Lunar ia minor [Botnjchmm Liinaria] in Stocker's 

 wood within 4 miles of Oxford, E. A., J. W., & Mr. Bobert.' An 

 Oxfordshire locality. ^ Lysimachia lutea [i. vulgarisl ; it was found by 

 Mr. Watlington by the river Kennet 3 miles off Reading.' By this is 

 meant L, vulgaris, but it is somewhat doubtful whether the cross 

 placed by Ashmole refers to this or to the rarer L. thyrsiflora ; but as 

 the latter is not likely to occur by the Kennet, the commoner jDlant 

 "vvas probably meant. ' Orchis MeUttias {^Ophrys cqnfera'\ in my Orchard 

 at Bradfield in Berks.' On p. loi '■Radix cava' is said to grow ' neere 

 Oxford as j^ou go to Stocker's Wood,' but Capnoides cava is not a native 

 plant of Oxfordshire. A copy of Ashmole's Memoirs is in the British 

 Museum. It is dated 1717, Lond. ismo. Press-mark 615 a. 11. In 

 these Memoirs, which contain incidents of the most trifling character, 

 Ashmole says ' that lie was initiated Free Mason at Warrington on 

 Oct. 16, 1646,' that on Jan. 14, 1648, 'he went towards Bradfield from 

 London,' and on June 6, 1648, he writes ' Having entered upon the 

 study of Plants, this day about three of the clock was the first time 

 I went simpling. Br. Carter of Reading and Mr. Watlington an 

 Apothecary there accompanied me.' He records on Oct. 23 'going 

 towards London I was robbed in Maidenhead thicket ' ; on April 7, 

 1649, 'I came to Mr. Watlington's House to Table, who was an 

 Apothecary of Reading and a very good botanist' ; on April 25, 1649, 

 'My joui-ney to the Physick garden at Oxford' ; on Oct. 9, 1651, 'My 

 father Backhouse and I went to see Mr. Goodier [Goodyer], the great 

 botanist at Petersfield.' 



John Watlington, the friend of Ashmole, who is described as an Watling 

 Apothecaiy of Reading and a very good botanist, was probably the ton, J. 

 discoverer of many of the Berkshire plants mentioned in How's 

 Phytologia, since in Ashmole's copy of that work the initials of 'J. W.' 

 are placed against many of them. Among the plants so initialled are 

 on p. 10, Aristolochia and Armeria /lore simplici ; on p. 16, ' Blattaria Jlore 

 alho Jlavescenti nondum descripta, Chaucer's Copps,' to which is added 

 ' neere Redding ' ; on p. 19, ' Camelina ' [Erysimum cheiranthoides'] ; on 

 p. 23, ' Carophyllata'' [Geum rivaW] ; on p. 26, ' Chamaelinum' {_Centunculus'] ; 

 on p. 28, ' Cirsium anglicum ' ; on p. 38, ' Erica tenuifolia ' [E. cinerea, var. 

 alba^j ; on p. 40, ' FetTum equinum ' \_Hippocrepis^j ; on p. 61, ' Hypericum 

 iomentosum [H. elodes'] upon Bullmarsh Heath, 2 miles from Redding ' ; 

 on p. 70, ' Lunaria minor' [Boirychium'] ; on p. 71, ^Lysimachia lutea ^ [L. 

 vulgaris] ; on p. 88, ^ Pap aver Rhaeas, Jlore variegato, neere Redding' ; on 

 p. 127, ' Verhascum femina Jlore lutea magno.' In the Catalogue of the 



