A SHOET SKETCH 



OF THE 



PEOGEESS OF BOTANICAL INVESTIGATION 

 EELATIVE TO PLYMOUTH. 



In the works of the older writers on British Botany there are very 

 rarely to be found any references to the botany of the neighbourhood of 

 Plymouth. This might be expected, from the distance of the country 

 from the metropolis and other centres of scientific study and mvestigation. 

 The first notice of a plant as a Plymouth species that I have met with is 

 contamed m Johnson's edition of Gerarde^s Herhall, published in 1633. 

 It is of Cochlearia danica, which is there described and figured under 

 the name of " Thlaqn hederacium^ Ivy Mustard." Johnson's words are : 

 " There is, saith Lobel, in Portland and about Plimouth, and upon other 

 rockes on the sea coast of England, a creeping little herbe having small 

 red, crested stalkes, about a spanne high : the leaves are thicke, and 

 fashioned like Ivy : the white floures and small seeds do in tast and shape 

 resemble the Thlaspies." (John. Ger. em. p. 271.) 



Parkinson in referring to this account m his Theatrum Botanicum, 

 shows himself greatly in error as to the position of the isle of Portland ; 

 for he says : " TJdaspi hederaceum, Ivie-ieafed Treakle-Miistard, Lobel 

 saith hee found in Portland, which is an island belonging to Cornewall 

 nor farre from Plimmouth in the west of England, and in divers of the 

 sea coastes thereabouts." {Theat. Bot. p. 849, fig. 1 p. 848, 1640.) 



Lobel also notices a Scirpus, either setaceus or Savii, as a Plymouth 

 species m his Stirpium lUustratimies. His account of it is as follows : 

 '"''Gramen Juncoides exile omniumque tenuissimum Pleymuense. Tenu- 

 issimum et istud Gramen Junceum, foliis veluti congerie exilioribus 

 gracillimisque filamentis densissime stipatis capitellis asciculorum minori- 

 bus, aculeisque donatis. Montosis udis juxta Plymouth in Cornubiae 

 finibus oriundum. Capillata item radix sesquiuncialis et duarum un- 

 ciarum." {VOhel, Stir. Illus. [ed. by Guil. How] p. 67, 1655.) It v.ill 

 be seen from this extract that Lobel, too, supposed Plymouth to be in 

 Corn\Yall. 



