19 



intervals for poles, firewood, &c. The valleys contain hamlets, or scattered 

 houses, with small orchards or open meadows, affording a pleasing variety in the 

 botany as well as in the scenery. 



Throughout the route taken there was an abundance of the Mercurialis 

 perennis, Hyacinthus non scriptus (one plant with pinkish flowers), Stellaria 

 Holostea, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Galeobdolon luteum, Carex sylvatica, and 

 the universal Carex recurva. The Polygala vulgaris (blue, pink, and white 

 varieties), the Colchicum autumnale, now pushing up into seed vessels, grew 

 freely in the valleys ; Anemone nemorosa, with many more ordinary plants. 

 The wild Bird-cherry. Prunus Avium, so often constituting a beautiful object 

 in the woods of the southern part of the county, was not observed. 



Here followed an accurate list of all the plants observed in flower during the 

 day named, according to the London Catixlogue. 



ABUNDANCE OF AVENA FLAVESCENS AT ROSS. 

 Bt W. H. Purchas. 

 At the request of the Secretary, Mr. Edmunds read the followng communi- 

 cation from Mr. W. H. Purchas, of Ross, who was unfortunately prevented by 

 indisposition from being present : — 



My attention has frequently during the last few weeks been drawn to the 

 peculiar silky appearance of the fields of mowing g^rass around Ross, due to the 

 unusual prevalence of the yellow oat-grass ( Avena flavescens). It seems a trifling 

 circumstance to mention, but as small facts in natural history often turn out to be 

 important ones, I have less hesitation in briefly drawing the attention of the Club 

 to it. Like other British perennial oat-grasses, Avena flavescens flourishes in dry 

 situations, and produces very few and weak leafy shoots— bottom grass, as the 

 farmer terms them. Hence these grasses are of little value for cultivation, and 

 from their slow growth will readily be overcome by more vigorously growing 

 kinds. The unusual plenty which I have mentioned is, I think, readily explained 

 by the remarkable drought during the spring months of this year, which, while it 

 retarded the growth of the more luxuriant pasture plants, supplied the precise 

 conditions required for the healthy gro\vth of the yellow oat, and prevented it 

 being stifled and overrun, thus having the double effect of a stimulus and a 

 safeguard. 



It may not be amiss to mention to the Club that I had, on the 12th instant, 

 the pleasure of making an addition to the list of South Herefordshire plants by 

 finding, near Hope Mansel, Pyrola minor — a single plant, and also a Silene, 

 which I think will turn out S. noctiflora, but the specimens are scarcely forward 

 enough to warrant a positive statement. I also found, near the same spot, new 

 stations for the elegant fern Polypodium Dryopteris, and for the Dutch rush, 

 Equisetum hyemale, remarkable for the abundance of silex in its stem, which 

 renders it useful in polishing wood. 

 Ross, July 17th, 1852. 



