429 



side going from Bishopstoke station towards Swatheling (one quarter 

 of the distance from Bishopstoke) ; Dr. A. D. White. Hurstborne ; 

 Rev. G. F. Dawson in Miss Hadfield's herbarium ! North Fare- 

 ham ; Mrs. Robinson in Mr. W. L. Notcutt's list of Fareham plants 

 in * Phytologist ' ii. p. 207. • 



This plant inclines strongly to the eastern or " Germanic type" of 

 distribution, is very rare in the west of England, and unknown in 

 Scotland and Ireland, doubtless from their ultra insular or oceanic 

 climate being unsuited to its nature. From its close proximity to the 

 mainland, the influence of the maritime or island climate is greatly 

 modified in the Isle of Wight, and assimilated to that of the opposite 

 mainland coast ; still the insularity of our position is shown by the 

 absence from the Vectian flora of certain plants common to the inte- 

 rior of the county, as Phyteuma orbiculare, Convallaria majalis and 

 multiflora, Dipsacus pilosus, Daphne Mezereon, Paris quadrifolia, 

 Campanula patula, Herminium Monorchis, &c, and the comparative 

 rarity of others, as Verbascum nigrum, Rhamnus catharticus, Cepha- 

 lanthera grandifiora, Bryonia dioica, and some more ; all species, be 

 it observed, either very rare or quite wanting on the extreme western 

 side of Britain, in Wales and Ireland. That the above is the true 

 cause of their absence or unfrequency in this island will, I think, ap- 

 pear sufficiently obvious from my remarks on the distribution of the 

 bryony at p. 369, and not for lack of congenial soils and situations 

 perfectly adapted to all and each of the species just enumerated, on 

 its infinitely varied surface, which is a complete epitome of the entire 

 county. But to compensate for the want or scarcity of these interior 

 or continental species, the Isle of Wight produces many plants wholly 

 or mainly restricted to itself and the opposite line of coast, as Rubia 

 peregrina, Iris foetidissima, Briza minor, Scirpus Savii, Cyperus lon- 

 gus, Senebiera didyma, Euphorbia portlandica, Linaria repens, and 

 some others, not to mention the host of purely maritime plants which 

 could not of course exist but on the sea-shore. 



Knautia arvensis. In meadows, pastures, cornfields and by way- 

 sides ; common everywhere in the county and Isle of Wight. With 



Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Sweden, I can see no objection to its admission 

 into the Hampshire flora, and suspect that it has been rather too hastily placed on the 

 alien list, and that whilst many of its habitats may be dubious, or even inadmissible, 

 others will be found on renewed inquiry and examination to he truly natural ones. 

 The figure in ' English Botany ' was drawn from a Hampshire specimen sent by its 

 discoverer from the Wickham station to Sir James Smith. 



