895 



those holy fathers were probably martyrs, if to nothing worse, for the 

 first few winters after their arrival on our heathenish shores in the 

 sixth century.* 



In the garden at St. John's, Ryde, is a plant of Smilax aspera, 

 which was originally found by Mr. John Laurence, the gardener, grow- 

 ing under one of the ruined walls of Quarr Abbey, about a mile from 

 the town. 1 presume it must have been set there by some one wish- 

 ing to try whether this native of south and south-eastern Europe could 

 be naturalized in the island, and acquit the good Cistercians in this 

 instance at all events of having had anything to do with its introduc- 

 tion within their ancient precincts. 



Hydrocharis Morsus-rance. In pools, ditches, drains, and other 

 still water ; apparently rare, or at least not common in Hants, al- 

 though probably mudi more frequent than I have the means of show- 

 ing it to be at present. Not indigenous to the Isle of Wight, but 

 abundant in a naturalized state in a small pool at Barretts, about two 

 miles from Ryde, on the Blading road, introduced there a few years 

 since with Stratiotes aloides and Villarsia nymphaeoides by Dr. 

 Salter!!! On the shallow margin of Sowley Pond, at its south-west 

 end, in two places, September 26th, 1849. " Grows, 1 believe, at 

 Christchurch, in the water bordering the lower road to Ringwood ;" 

 Mr. James Hussey in litt. !!! Plentiful at Sopley on the Avon ; Pul- 



* Under the heads of Ligustrum and Taxus I should have been tempted, had I 

 known them at the time, to have inserted the two following passages from Pulteney's 

 Catalogue of the rarer Plants of Dorsetshire in his remarks on those species, as fur- 

 ther exemplifying the ridiculous tendency to doubt the native origin of almost every 

 tree and shrub of British growth, which it has been my unceasing endeavour in these 

 " Notes '' to expose and combat in each instance that has presented itself for discus- 

 sion. In his remarks on the privet, Pulteney shows that lie himself was not uninfected 

 with the gratuitous scepticism so often animadverted on in these contributions, for he 

 observes, " From the oriental (i. e. specious or exotic) habit of this shrub, such as in- 

 dulge in speculations relating to the distinction between the native and naturalized 

 vegetables of England, might be allowed to suppose that the Privet was introduced 

 into this island during the crusades, or at some remoter period of time." Admirable 

 supposition ! and quite on a par with that which would impute to our Holly a Japan- 

 ese origin (Phytol. ii. p. 518, note). But there is no end to such vagaries, venial, 

 perhaps, in Pulteney's time, but inexcusable in botanists of our own day, some of 

 whom, nevertheless, hold opinions quite as absurd and gratuitous on the same subject. 

 When he comes to speak of the Yew, however, Pulteney defends its claim to nativity 

 against his fellow sceptics. " The title of this tree to the appellation of a native has 

 been much disputed. Such as have denied it would probably hesitate in their opinion 

 on seeing the scattered and unequivocal manner in which it is seen growing in Dor- 

 set, Wills and Hants.'' 



