XXVlll INTRODUCTION. 



The Stlrpium lUustrationes* was not published until 1655, long after 

 Lobel's death, so the above description of the plant was preceded by that 

 of Parkinson, in his Theatrum Botanicum, published in 1640. He calls 

 it " Gramen junceum maritimum exile Plimostii, Small Sea Rush- 

 grass of Plimouth" and saj's : " This was found as well at Plimmouth 

 as Dover in their wet gromids." He adds that it, with some other plants, 

 had "not been exhibited by any before." {Theat. Bot. p. 1271, with a 

 figure p. 1*270.) Dr. Bromfield unliesitatingly asserts Parkinson's plant 

 to be .S^. Savii, saymg of it : " It is clearly figured and described in Par- 

 kinson's Theatrum, p. 1270, fig. 9, as Gramen junceum exile Plimmotha, 

 Small Rush-grass of Plymouth.'^ (Fl. Vect. p. 545.) Again he says of 

 S. Savii, " Known and distinguished as a species by our older botanists." 

 {Phyt. ii. pp. 516, 17.) Withering, however, places both a reference to 

 Parkinson's account, and the name. Small Plymouth Rush-grass, under 

 ,S^. seiaceus. {Brit. Plants, iii. p. 103, ed. 7.) Parkinson's figure might 

 belong to either. In addition to the Cochlearia, that monstrous produc- 

 tion, " The Plymouth Strawberry," is mentioned both by Johnson and 

 Parkinson. (Seep. lOS.} 



I am not aware of there being any subsequent notices of Plymouth 

 plants until the time of the gieat Ray. He visited Plymouth when 

 travelling with Sir Francis "NYillughby in the south-west of England for 

 the express purpose of making observations on Natural History. He, in 

 his Itineraries, records a number of plants that he met with at certam 

 places in Devon and Cornwall, but among his special stations there are 

 very few Ijdng within twelve miles of Plpnouth. One or two of his 

 records are, however, of very great mterest in counection with its botany. 

 For mstance the notice that on jNIonday, July 7th, 1662, he and Sii' F. 

 Willughby "went on to Plymouth" (from Saltash), "but by the way 

 diverted to Stanehouse, a little town not far from the passage out of 

 Cornwall." Ray adds, "Thence we had a \iew of Mount Edgcumbe, a 

 brave house, and well situate, belonging to Mr. Edgcimibe, a gentleman 

 of great estate." " On the hill which you ascend after you are come over 

 the passage to go to Plymouth grows Eryngium vulgare in great plenty." 

 Ray also mentions their seeing " Erythrodanum,^^ or Rubia peregrina. 

 What renders these records the more interesting Is the fact that both the 

 species still grow in the locality, notAvithstanding the very great changes 

 that more than two centuries have effected at the spot, one near to large 

 and increasing towns. For July 5th, 1662, Ray notes: "On a woody 

 bank by a comb to the south of Saltash we first found Lamium melissa 

 folia" {Melittis Melissoj^hylhim) "growing in great plenty." Ray sub- 



* I cannot help suspecting that Lobel must have made some statement as to the 

 situation of the isle of Portland in one or other of the works that he himself pub- 

 lished, and that through it I'arkinson was misled on the matter. I have not seen his 

 Stirpium Adversaria Nova, Obaervationes, &c. 



