207 



mass is in a disinteffrateJ state, breaking up into angular fiagmeuts of every size, and tlms forming debris on 

 and materials for soil at the base of the slopes, while hard masses of gi-anitic rock, weathering the atmosphe- 

 ric wear and tear of centuries, are of comparatively rare occurrence. This of course tends greatly to modify 

 the capacity of these eminences as depositories of plants ; and although rising up boldly in an insular man- 

 ner in the midst of a flat district, and with no superior heights near at hand, their moderate altitude precludes 

 the growth of any alpine plants ; while their complete exposure to the blaze of summer even unfits them for 

 subalpine species that grow in shady localities farther south. This may be instanced in Saxifraga hypnoides, 

 which, though it grows in the moist recesses of the Cheddar Cliffs, Somersetshire, is entirely absent from every 

 part of this rocky range. On the other hand, Sedum alhum, which no drought can destroy, finds an appro- 

 priate home in the exposed cliffs of the principal hills here, flowering when most other plants are completely 

 withered and burnt up by the intolerable heat. 



The Phanerogamous vegetation of the Malvern Hills is by no means so varied or remarkable as might at 

 first have been anticipated from their geographical position. But in fact the breadth of the chain nowhere 

 amounts to a mile, and for the most part does not exceed half a mile. There are scarcely any longitudinal 

 valleys, as in only one place does the chain break distinctly into two parallel heights, and throughout a dis- 

 tance of above nine miles there are but five transverse ones. The average height of the chain above the level 

 of the sea is about 1000 feet, the highest hills attaining respectively the altitude of 1300, 1350 and 1444 feet. — 

 According to a very accurately taken barometi-ical observation by Mr. Addison of Great Malvern, the Worces- 

 tershire Beacon, which, as just stated, is 1444 feet in height by the Ordnance Survey, is only 923 feet above 

 the library at Great Malvem, the slope at the base of the hUls being thus shown to be full 600 feet above the 

 level of the Severn. Such a moderate elevation can scarcely be expected to yield plants of an alpine kind, es- 

 pecially when the ravines, though not without rocks, possess none of a veiy precipitous character, and the 

 streams that trickle down the hills, though abundantly musical, have but very little relation to the torrents 

 that dash in thunder down the clifls of stern and rugged mountainous regions. The late Mr. Purton (author 

 of the Midland Flora) remarked that even in Wales he scarcely observed any lichens that were not to be found 

 upon the Malvern Hills. In like manner the mosses are very luxuriant and abundant on the hills as well 

 as in the woods around their bases, though the beautiful genus Splachmim Seems to be altogether absent. — 

 Jungermaixniee constitute a great proi)ortion of the investiture of the hills, though the variety of species is not 

 very remarkable, from the comparative scarcity of dripping rocks, yet in one shadowy laviue at least the 

 beautiful Junyerinannia iomentella is found. Jung, resupinatais rather abundant, and Jung, ciliaris is ex- 

 cessively common. The Fungi are pretty numerous, and, as might be expected, the Agaric tribe in particu- 

 lar is profusely scattered on the grassy declivities of the hills in the autumnal season. Many species of ferns 

 are found in extreme profusion on the rocks as well as on every boggj- declivity ; and in the damp woods on 

 either side the range, Polypodium vulgare, Aspidium aculeatum and lohatum and AspUnium Filix-fcemina 

 are particularly abundant; while Fteris aquilina covers the sides of the hills in every part. Among the ra- 

 rer species are AUosorus crispun and Polypodium Dryopteris, while Asplenium viride gi-ows on an old bridge 

 across the Teme, about eight miles north of Great Malvem, on the extreme verge of the district. Aspidium 

 Oreopteris is rather plentiful wherever a boggy soil presents itself. Grammitis Ceterach, though occurring 

 on old walls at Great Malvern, can scarcely be called a legitimate denizen, for not a stray individual occurs 

 on any of the rocks. 



The Eriophori are almost the only vascular plants that give anything like a subalpine aspect to the ve- 

 getation of Malvern, and even these now only occur in a few favoured spots. Eriophorum polystachion and 

 pubescens give a pretty aspect to the bogs on the western side of the hills, to which at the present time they are 

 limited ; while E. angustifolium occupies marshy spots in the low country on the eastern side. The Cypcra- 

 cea; are pretty abundant in the numerous wet spots about the hills, though mostly of small size, and none 

 very rare or peculiar. The following species have been gathered. — 



Scirpus setaceus Care.x vulpina 



Blysmus compressus teretiuscula 



Eleocharis palustris stellulata 



multicaulis curta 



pauciflora ovalis 



Carex ilioica remota 



pulicaris axillaris 



intei-media pendula 



muricata sylvatica 



divulsa. 

 The most abundant grasses forming the turf of the hills are Anthoxanthttm odoratum, C'ynosttrus cristattm, 

 Fesiuca oi'ina, Agrostis vulgaris, Avenafiavescens, Aira flexuosa, prcEcox and caryophyllea : those of rarer 

 occuiTCnce are Aira cristata, Triodia decumhens, Festuca Myurus, Glyceria rigida and Nardus strictii. — 

 The latter indeed is plentiful on the commons at the eastern base of the hills, with most of the commoner grass- 

 es. Mr. L. had seen Avena fatua in wheat-fields at the base of the hills almost as plentiful as the corn among 

 which it grew. The former marshy state of the country at the eastern base of the hills is shown by the abun 

 dance, in spots not yet fully drained, oi Poa aqvatica andfluitans, Phalaris arundinacea, Ariindo Plirag 



Carex Pseudo-cypenis 

 pallescens 

 flava 

 CEderi 

 fulva 

 binervis 

 prtecox 

 pilulifera 

 panicea 



Care.x recurva 

 csespitosa 

 strieta 

 acuta 

 paludosa 

 riparia 

 vesicaria 

 ampuUacea 

 hirta 



