RUMEX 433 



E. Hydrolapathevun, Huds. Fl. Angl. ed. 2, 154 (1778). Great Wat^ Bock. 



R. Britannica, Huds. Fl. Angl. 135 (1762), not of Linn. R. aquaticus, 

 Sm. E. B. t. 2104, not of Linn. Hyclrolapathum tnajus, Park. 1225. 



Top. Bot. 357. Syme, E. B. viii. 51, t. 1220. Nyman, 633. Fl. Oxf. 252. 

 Native. Paludal. Sides of rivers, streams, canals, and ditches. 



A prominent feature of the Thames vegetation. P. May-Sept. 

 First recoz'd. R. hydrolapathimi, Mavors Agr. Berks, 1809. 



' At Eadcot Bridge we direct attention to the Great Water Dock, 

 the luxurious growth of whose flamboyant foliage gives to it a gigantic 

 character among its lighter and more graceful neighbours/ Mrs. S. C. 

 Hall's Book of the Thames. 



In many paintings of Thames scenery the Great Water Dock is 

 conspicuous. Keeley Halswelle appeared particularly fond of depict- 

 ing this species. 



A plant has been noticed in St. Neat's Meadow at Abingdon, in 

 which the base of the leaves is rounded and not decurrent ; but the 

 fruit does not agree with the drawing of R. maximus, Schreb. in 

 Schweigg and Korte, Fl. Erlang. i. 152, which is kept as a distinct 

 species in Index Kewensis. 



Var. LATiroLius, Borrer, in Lond. Cat. ed. 8. {R. maximus, Schreb. 

 I.e.?) 



To this I refer a form of R. Htjdrolapatheum, which occurred in 

 ditches near Theale and Midgham. 



By some authors R. maximus is considered to be a hybrid of 

 R. Hydrolapatheum and R. aquaticus, but that is not the case with our 

 British plant, as R. aquaticus does not occur in South Britain. The 

 Abingdon plant may be R. Hydrolapatheum x conglomeratus, as the tint of 

 the leaves was different from those of the former species. 



R. Hydrolajxitheum occurs in all the bordering counties. 



"R. Acetosa, Linn. Sp. PI. 337 (1753). Common Sorrel. 



Oxalis sive Acetosa, Gerard, 319. 

 Top. Bot. 361. Syme, E. B. vii. 54, t. 1223. Nyman, 635. Fl. Oxf. 254. 

 Native. Pascual. Pastures, meadows, woods. Veiy fi-equent and gener- 

 ally distributed. The meadows of the Thames valley often exhibit 

 this species in considerable abundance. P. April-July. 

 First recorded in Mavor's Agr. Berks, 1809. R. Acetosa, gathered in 

 Berkshire, Sm. Engl. Fl. iv. 266, 1828. 

 R. Acetosa occurs abundantly in all the bordering counties. 



R. Acetosella, Linn. Sp. PI. 338 (1753). Sheep's Sorrel. 



Acetosa minor lanceolata, Park. 744. Oxalis tenuifolia, Gerard, 320. 

 Top. Bot. 361. Syme, E. B. viii. 56, t. 1224. Nyman, 636. Fl. Oxf. 255. 



