POLYGALA 8l 



P. serpyllacea, Weihe in Flora, ix. (1826) 745. Milkwort. 



P. depressa, Wenderoth in Berlin, Jahrbucli fiir die Pharmacie, xxxii. 

 (1831) 109. 



Top. Bot. 61. Syme, E. B. ii. 38, t. 187 (not good"*. Baxter, t. 251 



(but named P. vulgaris). Nyman, 83. Fl. Oxf, 45, Keichb. Ic. Fl. 



Germ, et Helv. t. 1347. 

 Native. Ericetal, &e. Dry pastures, heaths, downs, &c. Common 



and widely distributed. P. April-September. 

 First record. Milkicort, plentifully about Oxford, MS. note in Lyte's 



Herhall^ 1660. P. serpyllacea, Messrs. J. C. Melvill and H. C. Watson 



in Britt. Contr. 187 1. 

 The plant is an abundant feature in our heath vegetation, where the 

 flowers are often white ; but forms with dark blue, pink, and pale 

 blue flowers are found. The plant is much less frequent on clay soils, 

 and on the chalk downs it is replaced by P. calcarea and P. vulgaris. 

 The form or variety with ciliate bracts, pedicels, and sepals, P. ciliata, 

 Lebel, has been seen at Snelsmore. 



P. serpyllacea is universally distributed through Britain. 



P. calcarea, F. Schultz in Flora, xx. (1837) 752. Chalk Milkwort. 



P. amarella, N. E. Brown in E. B. Suppl. ed. 3, 34 (not of Crantz). 

 P. amara, D. Don, E. B. Suppl. t. 2764 (not of Linn.). 



Top. Bot. 62. Syme, E. B. ii. 38, t. 188. Nyman, 83. Fl. Oxf. 46. 



Native. Pascual. Chalk downs. Locally abundant. P. April- 

 July. 



First record. P. amara, Mr. T. B, Flower in Robertson's Env. of Reading, 

 1843, but with no locality given. Pecorded as P. calcarea. Very 

 fine near Pangbourn, Dr. J. T. Boswell Syme in Pluji. 860, 1852. 



1. Isis. Idstone. Ridge way. Near Ashbury. 



2. Ock. Wantage, Trimen in Herb. Brit. Mus. 1866. King Standing 



Hill. White Horse Hill. Abundant along the grassy 'downs 

 from Lowbury to Uffington Castle. 



3. Pang. Streatley, Herb. Borrer. Pangbourn, Syme. Plentiful 



on the Berkshire side of the river, Duthie in Rep. Bot. Exch. Club, 

 1870. Ilsley, Bosicell. Moulsford Downs, Bennett in Journ. Bot. 

 (1873) 138. Between Tilehurst and Pangbourn. Common on 

 the grassy downs. 



4. Kennet. Lambourn Downs. Uffington Castle. Near Great 



Fawley. Walbury Camp.- Childrey Warren. Farnborough. 

 West Ilsley. Woodhay Downs. 



5. Loddon. Harehatch near Wargrave, a calcarea form ? Melvill. 



P. calcarea is one of the typical flowers of Berkshire. The grassy 

 chalk downs in spring time are a beautifiil sight from the abundance 

 of this plant in the round patches, which are so characteristic of it. 



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