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Rich LociilUy of Plants on Wandsworlh Common. 

 By Mr. K. M'Ennes. 



Rich indeed is the locality to which I am about to call attention, 

 both in the number of native plants not previously known to this dis- 

 trict, and in others which have made their re-appearance after an 

 absence of several years. 



Some weeks since, my attention was drawn to the cutting through 

 which passes the London and South-Western Railway, crossing 

 Wandsworth Common. Near the bridge by which the Tooting road 

 passes over the line, is a piece of land belonging to the Company, 

 which has been excavated to a considerable depth in procuring bal- 

 last for the use of the line. Here, at a depth varying fi'om perhaps 

 ten to twenty feet, upon the newly-exposed gravel and the under- 

 lying marly formation, have sprung up plants of an interesting cha- 

 racter ; interesting from their rarity in this neighbourhood, and 

 interesting in one instance for the re-appearance of a plant which had 

 been lost to the Common for many years, viz., Drosera rotundifolia. 

 Grouped together in this small portion of ground, occur plants from 

 a diversity of soils and geographical positions. 



As one of the most interesting, I will begin with the Lycopodium 

 inundatum, which is fine in growth, and in tolerable abundance, asso- 

 ciated with its usual attendant, Drosera rotundifolia. We have also 

 Ranunculus circinatus, R. Flammula, R. repens, R. acris, and R. sce- 

 leratus. Nasturtium officinale and N. terrestre, Sinapis alba, and Se- 

 nebiera Coronopus, in moist parts ; on dry, sandy soils near the top, 

 Sagina apetala, Alsine rubra, Malva sylvestris, and Hypericum humi- 

 fusum ; Geranium pusillum, Vicia Cracca and Y. sativa, in numerous 

 places ; Potentilla Tormentilla and P. anserina, Q*^nothera biennis, 

 and Medicago sativa extend directly across the Common, for at least 

 half a mile, on each bank of the railway ; Fceniculura ofiicinale is also 

 plentiful for a great distance, in company with Melilotus leucanthus ; 

 on the more stiff" soil in the lower parts are Helrainthia echioides, Hypo- 

 chaeris radicata, Tussilago Farfara, Dipsacus sylvestris, Daucus Carota, 

 Achillea Millefolium, Chrysanthemum Leucantheraum, Plantago lan- 

 ceolata and P. major (with P. Coronopus on the drier parts), Runiex 

 obtusifolius and R. crispus, Anthemis nobilis and A. Cotula, Gnapha- 

 lium uliginosum, Carduus lanceolatus, Scutellaria minor, Radiola 

 millegrana, Trifolium pratense, T. repens, T. Ornithopodioides, and T. 

 procumbens, Medicago lupulina, Lotus major, with var. &. <jlahriusciilus 

 VOL. IV. • 4 u 



