37 
found, but is now extinct. It may, however, re-appear in our 
County, as it has done in Hampshire. 
Some of the old Hammer ponds in the Weald produce some 
rare water plants, such as Elatine Hexandra. In the Cuckmere 
Valley, the Marsh Mallow is abundant, though curiously, it has 
never been found in the Ouse Vailey, so short a distance away. 
This shows the value of the River drainage division of a 
district as a basis of observation. 
Our seashore produces many rare and interesting species. The 
only locality in Britain for Trifolium Stellatwm is Shoreham. 
The Sea Heath is common in places and the Samphire may still 
be found, but many species once common are no longer to be 
discovered. 
The earliest mention of Sussex Plants is in the “‘ Herball, or 
General Historic of Plants,”’ by Gerarde (1636). He mentions the 
Sea Holly and the Spiked Rampion. Parkinson’s Theatrom 
Botanicum (1640) mentions Dentaria bulbifera. John Ray 
(1690) notes several Sussex plants ; but the man who did most 
tor the botany of our County was William Borrer, of Henfield, 
who, during the first half of the century, formed a herbarium 
which is now at Kew. In 1870 Mr. Hemsley read a paper at 
the British Association on Sussex Botany and in 1875 published 
an outline of the Flora of Sussex. Mr. Hemsley divided the 
County into 7 districts, corresponding to the drainage districts of 
the Western Rother, Arun, Adur, Cuckmere, East Rother, and 
Medway. It is important that this division should be adhered 
to. In 1887 the Rev. F. H. Arnold published a useful and 
concise “‘ Flora of Sussex,” to the enlargement and revision of 
such a work, this Section should direct its attention. A 
search should also be instituted for certain plants whose names 
stand on old records but which have not been seen for many 
years, such as (Hnanthe silaifolia, Caucalis daucoides and the 
perhaps mythical Frankenia pulverulenta. 
Some species again, seem on the verge of extinction, and 
other new ones obtaining a permanent footing. A comparison 
of the Flora of our own county with that of neighbouring ones 
will be of much interest. Of species in which Sussex is deficient, 
I may mention Cerastium pumilum, Vicia gracilis, Polygala 
austriaca, Pinguicula lusitanica. 
There is much room for good work in the Batrachium section 
of Ranunculus, many forms of Fumaria need closer observation 
also Viola. My own first year’s work in the genus Rosa resulted 
in the discovery of a fine one hardly known as British, various 
