342 KENTISH BOTANY. [November, 



Pegwell Bay, close to the houses of the coastguard, and Papa- 

 ver somniferum, which is plentiful in some cornfields in North 

 Kent, and also on dike-banks in the Fens (eastern lowlands); in 

 Eastwear Bay it seemed content with its situation at the base of 

 the lofty cliffs. 



Veronica Buxbaumii is extending its range. Its stations are 

 increasing, and it follows from this increase of centres of distri- 

 bution that its area is gradually increasing. 



So much for the distribution of the plants seen in this excur- 

 sion, about which some remarks appear necessary. 



About the identification of species, all was accomplished that 

 we expected. There were only two plants about which there has 

 been any difference of opinion among British botanists. 



The Dover Catchfly, Sllene nutans, which was first observed at 

 St. Margaret^s, between Kingsdown and the South Foreland, is 

 the first. This had flowered a long time, probably two months, 

 ere we visited South Kent ; but judging by the radical leaves of 

 the plant, it seems to be nothing else but a very decided variety 

 of the common form. It certainly is not the same as the Isle of 

 Wight form, which we observed on the lofty cliff east of San- 

 down Bay, four years ago. This was one of the botanical doubts 

 which were cleared up in our late journey. 



The second is the Dover Statice. Two forms oiStatice spatlmlata 

 (like other notabilities it has a long array of aliases) have been 

 known on the south-east coast, ever since the publication of the Rev. 

 G. E. Smith's work on the plants of South Kent. The large form, 

 which abounds between Kingsdown and St. Margaret's, differs 

 very much in size and appearance from the form which is equally 

 abundant in Eastwear Bay, and especially near the Lydden Spout. 

 The plants of this variable species on the east of Dover, are, at 

 an average, about two feet high, more or less. Those on the 

 west of Dover, in the aforesaid localities, vary from a few inches 

 to above a foot ; say from three to fifteen inches. The large spe- 

 cimens on the east of Dover have many barren bra nches ; and 

 the small examples of this plant in and near Eastwear Bay have 

 no barren branches. But there are numerous intermediate forms, 

 which serve as connecting links between these two extremes, and 

 show that these differences do not constitute a variety. 



There are some parts of the coast, partly examined by us, 

 which might be worth a more cozuplete exploration at an earlier 



