545 



is suffered to grow undisturbed, it assumes altogether the characters 

 assigned to it in books, and also presents its flowers, of a "pleasant 

 pink, with the stamens and base of the petals of a glowing orange tint." 

 This alteration of the colour of the flowers was first observed in a 

 bush which had been growing for years, and whose lovely pink flowers 

 had often been noticed. After a period the bush was cut down to the 

 ground; and since then, having been kept low, it has produced white 

 flowers only. 



Rubus humifusus, Bell Salter. A small shrubbery of what I have 

 ventured to name Rubus humifusus occurs in a wood at Braxted. 

 Excepting in rts size it agrees with the description of Dr. B. Salter. 

 The prickles, as sharp as a needle, and many of them tipped with 

 glands, are well calculated to attract the attention of the scientific stu- 

 dent, as well as of any one who ventures incautiously to handle the 

 plant. In a smaller form this Rubus occurs in woods about Messing ; 

 but, from its having been considered one of the rarer species of its 

 perplexing genus, I always entertained a fear of applying a name to 

 it, until I met with the plant at Braxted, the discrimination of which 

 latter proved a matter of little difficulty. 



Pyrus communis, L. Gerarde says, " The wild peares grow of 

 themselves in most places, as woods, or in the borders of fields, and 

 neere to high waies." Ray says of the pear-ti*ee, " In sylvis et sepi- 

 bus passim occurrit." The case is very different now, for it is very 

 rare to meet with a wild pear-tree about Kelvedon in any of the places 

 mentioned by these old authors. There are, however, one or two 

 examples of this elegant tree in the borders of fields at Riven Hall 

 fully as lofty as the fine elms amongst which they grow. 



(Enanthe pimpinelloides, L. Road-sides, corn-fields, and meadow- 

 land about Wigborough and Virley produce this species of Q^nanthe 

 plentifully. Though the above-mentioned places abut upon Salcot 

 Creek, yet the plant is not to be found upon the saltings which bound 

 the meadows and corn-fields, and intervene between these latter and 

 the salt-water. In the early flowering condition, and to a distant 

 glance, CEnanthe pimpinelloides bears somewhat of a resemblance to 

 certain states of Pimpinella saxifraga, and also to young plants of the 

 wild carrot, for which latter, in riding by, I suspect myself to have 

 passed it over. The tubers are well known to the rustic population of 

 the locality by the name of pig-nuts. 



Anihriscus Cerefolium, Hoffm. In a hedge at Kelvedon, on the 

 borders of cultivated laud and garden-ground ; perhaps originally a 

 VOL. IV. 4 A 



