1003 



where flax is cultivated, at least in this countiy ; for on the continent 

 it occurs in similar localities with the one just mentioned. 



Before leaving England last year, I learnt that a Flora of Winches- 

 ter was in preparation by some botanists of that city : I trust the .in- 

 tention is not given up, as the materials must be ample, but should 

 such be unfortimately the case, it is to be hoped the authors of the 

 projected work will embody the result of their researches in the com- 

 pendious form of a catalogue for the ' Phytologist ' rather than with- 

 hold them altogether fi'om those to whom, like myself, their publication 

 would be useful. It is my intention to include, though not to incor- 

 porate, the Flora of the entire county of Hants in that of the Isle of 

 Wight, the materials for which are in a very forward state for the press. 

 To all who will lend a hand, whether directly by communication with 

 myself, or indirectly through the medium of this journal, to advance 

 our knowledge of Hampshire Botany, I shall hold myself personally 

 indebted, and more especially so to such as may be pleased to favour 

 me by the transmission of living or dried specimens of any plants con- 

 tained in the lists of genera and species given above. 



Wm. Arnold Bromfield. 



Eastinount, Rj cle, Isle of Wight, 

 October 2nd, 1847. 



Note on Leersia oryzoides. By Wm. A. Bromfield, M.D., F.L.S. 



Transplanted from the marsh ditches of Henfield to a pond in the 

 garden at St. John's, near Ryde, this singular grass shows no dis- 

 position to the protrusion of its panicles from the sheaths of the top- 

 most leaves, favoured as one might suppose the development would" 

 have been by the general warmth of the past season. Hence it may 

 perhaps be safely assumed to have been overlooked in many other 

 stations in which it will ere long be discovered. The ordinary aspect 

 of the herbage, so like that of other marsh grasses, has little to attract 

 the notice of a casual passer by, and might well elude the scrutinizing 

 glance of an experienced collector. Careful search should therefore 

 be made along the grassy margins of ditches, drains, ponds, rivers, and 

 water courses, as also in wet hollows over our eastern and south-east- 

 ern counties, in which alone it is likely to occur, when the extreme 

 asperity of the leaves and of the weak reclining or even decumbent 

 culms, cannot fail to detect it. 1 have a strong impression of having 

 myself once found the Leersia many years ago, probably (from an in- 



