2 PLAN OF THE FLORA. 



figure has been selected ; but a portrait of a specimen actually gathered in 

 the county, or at all events near London,* is, when possible, quoted. 



IV. The fourth paragraph contains : — (a.) An indication of the usual sort 

 of situation to which the species is partial, and a general statement of its 

 comparative frequency in the county as a whole. For the expression of the 

 latter condition six graduated terms are employed : — 



Very common. — Grenerally distributed; in numerous localities in all the 



districts. 

 Common. — Distributed th.oughout all the districts, but less equally and in 



fewer localities in some or all. 

 Rather common. — Widely distributed, but in scattered localities, and not 



necessarily in all the districts. 

 Rather rare.^-ln some only of the districts, and showing decided local 



tendencies. 

 Rare. — In a few (about eight to four) scattered localities, or confined to a 



single district. 

 Very rare. — In a very few (three to one) localities. 



It must, however, be understood that the signification of such terms 

 cannot be strictly defined or very accurately applied.f {p.) The duration of 

 the plant : annual, biennial, perennial, shrub, tree. {c.) The months in 

 which it is usually found in flower. All these particulars refer exclusively 

 to the species as an inhabitant of Middlesex. 



V. The localities in which the species has been observed to grow then 

 follow. These are grouped under the seven districts elsewhere explained 

 and defined, each of which, distinguished by its number in Eoman figures, 

 forms a distinct paragraph. Except when the authors are responsible for a 

 statement, the authority on which the locality depends is always quoted, 

 separated from the locality by a semicolon, and printed in italics ; when 

 several statements are separated from one another by semicolons, the 

 authority quoted after the last refers to all. 



Special localities, however, are not given for the ' very common ' species, 

 except in the metropolitan district (VII.), where, from their peculiar charac- 

 ter and fugitive existence, they possess a special interest. 



VI. In the last paragraph will be found the date of t\\e first record oi the 

 species as an inhabitant of Middlesex, with the name of the discoverer: 

 these statements are, of course, liable to be superseded by the discovery of 

 other sources of information. 



Following this, and concluding the account, are placed any points of 

 interest connected with the history of the plant as a native of the county, 

 degree of naturalization, &c. ; and, in the case of the extinct species, the date 



* It is to be regretted that the practice of stating whence the individual plant, from 

 ■which the drawing was made, was obtained, is not more generally followed. Mr. Syme 

 commenced his work with such useful notes to the new plates, but abandoned them after 

 the first volume. 



t 'Abundant,' 'plentiful,' &c., are local terms, and do not refer to distribution; a 

 ' very rare ' species may be ' abundant ' in one or two places. 



