[November, 1861.] 321 



NOEFOLK AND SUFFOLK BOTANY. 



On the Botany of the Borders of Suffolk and Norfolk, near 

 the Source of the River Waveney. By C, J. Ashfield. 



On the 13tb of September, 1861, being then on a visit in the 

 neighbourhood, I went on a botanical expedition to the locality- 

 named in the title of this article ; and the following account of 

 the success I met with, will probably not be unacceptable to the 

 readers of the ' Phytologist.^ The chief scene of my investiga- 

 tions on the occasion referred to, was a considerable tract of 

 marshy and fenny land, in some places tolerably dry, and in 

 others abounding in pools of water, from a few inches to several 

 feet in depth, known by the name of Lopham Fen, and situated 

 partly in Norfolk and partly in Suffolk. 



The rivers Waveney and Little Ouse owe their origin to two 

 copious springs which rise in the neighbourhood, and the former 

 river runs eastward to Yarmouth, and the latter, westward to 

 Thetford and Lynn ; and both form the boundary of Norfolk 

 and Suffolk. On the banks of these streams, liopham Fen is 

 situated. The spot is a few miles westward of Diss, in Norfolk, 

 where there is a station on the Eastern Counties Railway. 



The route I took is as follows :~I left the railway at Mellis, 

 which is the next station to the south of Diss, and a walk of 

 about five miles from thence, through portions of the villages 

 of Mellis, Burgate, Wortham, and Redgrave, brought me to the 

 Fen. 



Before I enumerate the floral treasures I discovered in the 

 latter place, I must devote some space to the mention of certain 

 noteworthy plants, which are to be met with on the way thither. 



I must premise, that I have been well acquainted with the 

 whole district for many years, and that although I did not find 

 quite all the plants mentioned, in the late occasion, yet I have 

 seen most if not all of them growing in the places named, at 

 some time, and have in my possession dried specimens of all of 

 them except one or two. 



The first plant I have on ray notes is Rosa rublyinosa, of which ' 

 there are several specimens in the hedges on each side of the 

 road to Burgate ; indeed, it is anything but an uncommon plant 

 in the district. 



N. S. VOL. V. 2 T 



