148 



lialf in Shropshire and the other in Worcestershire and Staffordshire, is merely the 

 remnant of a much more extensive forest, which, from ancient records, is well ascer- 

 tained to have existed there in the earlier periods of our history, and consequently 

 must be considered as an undoubted primitive or natural forest. Mr. Jorden writes as 

 follows. 



" The Tilias are thinly scattered over the Shropshire part, but in the Worcestershire 

 portion they are abundantly spread over an extensive district, there being many entire 

 copses of them. A loamy or sandy soil suits them best. By some eminent botanists 

 the Tilias are not considered indigenous ; I consider them truly so, if I may be allow- 

 ed to differ from them in opinion, when founded on the results of my having traversed 

 this forest in various parts, for upwards of three miles in a straight direction. I find 

 T. Europcea and grandifolia very generally distributed in a great portion of Worcester- 

 shire, and but sparingly in Shropshire, in our native woods and hedges on the rocky 

 declivities of the banks of the Severn, where they grow self-planted in shapeless mass- 

 es. They prefer the light soils accompanying the new red sandstone formation, and 

 have spread themselves over the stiff soils adjoining, but more sparingly. Even the 

 oak, king and tyrant of the forest, has permitted the location of Tilia Europcea in the 

 centre of the forest of Wyre, but T. grandifolia is not so plentiful. In our very old 

 hedges, so interesting iu those portions of the country which have been longest under 

 cultivation, are faithfully recorded all our truly indigenous trees and shrubs, which 

 were moved promiscuously from the contiguous wilds some centuries ago, and which 

 will remain for ages yet to come, since by diminishing their stature their existence is 

 apparently prolonged. In a very short space of such hedges I have noted the greater 

 number of our native trees and shrubs, the undoubted tenants of our ancient forests, 

 and amongst the rest Tilia Europcea and grandifolia. In plantations I perceive some 

 Tilias which seem to differ from those which grow wild in our woods and hedges." 



Mr. Jorden kindly accompanied the above interesting and instructive remarks with 

 specimens, which on examination I found readily separable into three very distinct 

 forms, identical with our three species : — Europcea, grandifolia and parvifolia. These, 

 independently of any characters from the form, number, or clothing of the fruit, I 

 perceived were easily distinguishable by the form and texture of their leaves. In T. 

 Europcea and grandifolia the leaves were of a thin membranaceous substance, of a 

 bright transparent green, paler on the under surface, and with very unequal bases. 

 In Europcea the serratures of the margins were finer and sharper, their apices pretty 

 generally directed towards the point of the leaf; whilst in grandifolia the serratures 

 were larger and coarser, their apices patulous or spreading in all directions. The 

 nervures of T. grandifolia on the under surface were ciliated or hairy ; those of Eu- 

 ropcea being glabrous, except at the axils. In T. parvifolia, on the contrary, the leaves 

 were of a thick coriaceous texture, of an opaque green on the upper surface, but pe- 

 culiarly and most markedly glaucous beneath, and with very equal and deeply cordate 

 bases. The serratures of the margins were large, coarse and patulous, having a strong 

 tendency to become lobed in the upper portion. — W. A. Leighton ; Shrewsbury, De- 

 cember 22, 1841. 



106. Notes on Monotropa Hypofitys. In reference to the question of the parasitical 

 habit of Monotropa (Phytol. 43), I may state that I have had an opportunity of study- 

 ing it this year in rather favourable circumstances. It grows on the Lancashire coast, 

 near Southport, among Salix argentea, on the roots of which it was supposed to be pa- 

 rasitical. With a view to ascertain this, I was supplied in August last with a plant 



