140 THE NATUKALIST. 



but on forwarding a specimen to my friend, the Eev. W. W. Newbould, he 

 kindly informed me that it was not that species, but a form of T. procum- 

 bens, distinguished specifically by Schreber under the name of T. campestre. 

 It is a much larger plant than T. procumbens, and appears very distinct, 

 growing quite erect, and bearing very large heads of pale orange-coloured 

 blossoms ; the leaves are comparatively* small, and cluster round the stem ; 

 the whole plant has a very stiff appearance. In one part of the field I 

 gathered a proliferous variety of Lapsana communis, having buds growing 

 out of the flower-heads. A form of Ranunculus reopens, with semi-double 

 blossoms, was abundant all over the field ; and as this j)henomenon in 

 Ranunculaceous plants has attracted some notice in the *' Naturalist," I 

 may here mention that I have noticed near London R. Flammula, R. acris, 

 and R. repens, bearing flowers in which some of the stamens are converted 

 into petals. My attention was attracted by a light brown patch at a little 

 distance. On nearer investigation it proved to be a large sheet of Cuscuta 

 2V^/oZu, just coming into blossom. I had nearly passed it over as a burnt- 

 up piece of ground. The injury which this plant causes to the crop, 

 where it occurs in any quantity, must be immense : it entirely smothers 

 everything which comes within its grasp, spreading over a circular patch 

 of ground with fearful rapidity. In some parts of Essex, where it is fre- 

 quently too abundant, I am informed that the farmers' men tear it off the 

 field in large sheets, and wrap it round them as though it were a coat ! 

 A plant of Trifolium pratense, having pure white blossoms, was my last dis- 

 covery in this wonderful field. 



In a walk to West Wycombe, Nepeta Cataria was noticed by the road- 

 side. I took a piece, intending to try its effects upon one of the feline race, 

 and am glad to say that the result exceeded my anticipations. The cat smelt 

 it, rolled upon it, took it up, and at last chewed it, evincing the greatest 

 delight all the while. Corydalis lutca abounds on the walls about West 

 Wycombe Park, and on the little bridge which there crosses the Wick. 

 In one of the woods above the Park, Hypericum Androsamuni was of fre- 

 quent occurrence : and on a wall at West Wycombe was Pyrethrwn Par- 

 thenium. Going from West Wycombe towards Bledlow Ridge, I noticed 

 the Sweetbriar {Rosa rubiginosa,) in some plenty in the hedges and by the 

 roadside ; Asperula cynanchica on the chalky banks ; this also grows on 

 Keep Hill, and on other commons ; and the Centaurea nigrescens of Eng- 

 lish authors frequently occurs by the roadsides, and on the borders of 

 fields. Returning in the direction of Wycombe Union, Iberis amara. 



