2i8 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1914 



EXCURSION TO WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND, WOOL, WAREHAM, 



CORFE, LULWORTH and DORCHESTER. 



July I4th-i6th, 1914. 



Directors: Dr. W. T. Ord, f.g.s., and L. Richardson. 



{Report by L. Richardson and the Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, m.a.) 



On this Excursion, Weymouth, Portland, Wool, Wareham, Corfe and 

 Lulworth were visited. As on previous Long Excursions some Members of 

 the party arrived in advance of the others and did some useful botanical 

 work. 



Thus on Monday, 13th July, an advance party consisting of the Rev. W, 

 Butt, Messrs. A. J. Stephens and H. H. Knight, and the Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, 

 motored to Portland. Mr W. Bowles Barratt, of Weymouth, kindly went with 

 them in order to render the search for local species more profitable ; for he 

 knows the flora of Weymouth and Portland well, and has indeed made con- 

 siderable contributions to the literature of the subject in the " Proceedings " 

 of the Dorset Field Club. The party were greatly indebted to him for his 

 kindness. The general features of the Flora of the Chesil Beach need no 

 description or attention here, as they were investigated by the Club at the 

 Bridport meeting in 1912^ But one or two special points were noteworthy, 

 particularly the disappearance of Asparagus officinalis from the neighbour- 

 hood at a very recent date owing to the extension of the Torpedo Works, 

 and the presence of a small quantity of Polycarpon in a reduced form. This 

 rare plant was discovered here in 1845 or thereabouts by Wm. Borrer, and 

 re-discovered by Mr. Barratt. It is known only in a very few of the south- 

 western counties of England, although it is common in the Channel Islands. 

 Koeleria albescens, discovered here in 1907, was on this occasion untraceable, 

 owing to railway-side fires, and the. lateness of the season. Raphanus mari- 

 timus, however, was seen in fine quantity and condition, and a small patch 

 of Stellaria Borcsana was found, as well as a nice piece of Cuscuta europaa. 

 The Yellow horned Poppy and the Sea Holly, at any rate where they are in a 

 flourishing condition, always convey the impression of a nice clean unspoilt 

 beach, as was the case now at Smallmouth Sands. The Sea Pea, Lathyrus 

 maritimus, we did not find. Other interesting plants seen in profusion were 

 Linuni angtistifolium, Arenaria peploides, Cochlearia danica, Senebiera pro- 

 cumbens, Trifolium scabrum. Cardiius tenuiflorus, with smaller quantities of 

 the beautiful seaside Convolvulus, Calystegia Soldanella, Suoeda fruticosa, 

 Atriplex portulacoides , Carex arenaria, Festuca rottballiodes, F. uniglumis, 

 Agropyron pungens and the like. All this botanising was done on the sands 

 and shingle between the mainland and the island. Portland itself was visited 

 both on the Monday afternoon and again on Tuesday after the arrival of the 

 main party. Even around the quarries on the top of the island there is some 

 interesting botany to be done. Artemisia Absinthium, Rumex pulcher, and 

 Lactuca virosa may be specially mentioned. The chief interest, however, lies 

 in the resemblance of the remains of the native flora, in its dominant con- 

 stituents, to that of the Cotteswolds, e.g.. Inula squamosa, Rhamnus catharticus, 

 Conium ; while we were glad to find Brassica nigra a very common native 

 plant all about Weymouth and Portland ; Lathyrus Aphaca was discovered 

 on Portland on Tuesday afternoon, after a vain search for it near Monte 

 Video in the morning rain. Hydrocotyle was seen on one spot in Portland ; 

 Smyrnium abounded everywhere, the Danewort, Sambucus ebulus, was in 

 great quantities in several parts of the island ; Crithmum and Inula crith- 

 moides were gathered on the cliffs ; the Oxtongue, Picris echioides, dominates 



I Proc. Cotteswold Nat. F.C., vol. xviii., pt. i (1912), pp. 31-38- 



