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A Notice of the Botany of Mildenhall. By J. Townsend, Esq. 



As the * Phytologist ' expressly states one of its objects in view, to 

 ybe the notice of localities of rare and remarkable plants, I have drawn 

 up a short list of those observed about the neighbourhood of Milden- 

 hall, on the eastern borders of Suffolk, during two days botanizing at 

 ' that place, in the beginning of the present month. The list must ne- 

 cessarily be imperfect, being the result of only two days observation, 

 and this, too, chiefly confined to those plants peculiar to this neigh- 

 bourhood and other parts of Suffolk. 



The Flora of this part of Suffolk appears so peculiar and remark- 

 able as to deserve a short description. Immediately on leaving the 

 town I was struck with the peculiar appearance of vegetation ; the 

 subsoil is chalk, covered over by vast quantities of sand and gravel, 

 which give the character to the neighbourhood. On the high land 

 the chalk is frequently seen at the surface. In many fields, sand forms 

 the only soil, and scarcely a stone or rolled pebble is to be met with; 

 it may easily be imagined that many plants would find but poor sus- 

 tenance on so dry and unstable a foundation, and such is found to be 

 the case, for many of even our common plants are rarely, if at all, to 

 be met with. In such places the farmer need bestow little labour in 

 weeding, for there are no weeds to be seen ; and the corn is dried up 

 and withered, or has never struggled to the surface. 



A great part of the land is totally uncultivated, and the barren 

 heaths are ploughed only by the rabbits, who here find a suitable 

 dwelling-place, but not unmolested, as persons are employed solely in 

 destroying them. There are many chalk and gravel-pits on these 

 heaths. The open woods consist principally of fir, and produce little 

 else but nettles, stonecrop and chervil {Anthriscus vulgaris)^ which 

 last is one of the most frequent weeds, both in the woods and on the 

 heaths, encircling the rabbit-burrows with its welcome shade, and 

 climbing the sides and tops of the mud walls in luxuriant profusion. 



But what struck me particularly was the occurrence of Phleum are- 

 narium, fine plants of which are met with at every step, and Carex 

 arenaria, which creeps along the dry heath, binding firmly the loose 

 sand and gravel ; these plants I had only known as natives of the 

 sea-shore, and on first beholding them I almost listened for the roar- 

 ing of the waves, and sought the cool sea-breeze to protect me from 

 the piercing rays of the hottest noon-day sun. I should much wish 

 to know if these two last-named plants are to be met with constantly 

 between this and the sea-shore of Suffolk. I should imagine such 

 Vol. II. 4 c 



