1109 



Botanical Noies and Observations on Plants observed in Essex, 

 during the year 1852. By E, G. Varenne, Esq, 



Ranunculus coenosus, Gixss. On the margins of a moat at Great 

 Totham. 



Barbai'ea vulgaris, L. This common weed is marked " perennial " 

 by Smith, and Hooker & Arnott ; and " biennial ? " by Babington. 

 It is most probable that the former writers are correct in their idea of 

 the duration of B. vulgaris, from the fact of the withered stems of the 

 previous year being commonly found attached to the root of the 

 growing stems of the plant, in spring and early summer. 



Three varieties of Barbarea vulgaris are found in this part of the 

 county of Essex : — 



1. The common form of descriptive writers. 



2. An arcuate form, which grows with a large top, on very 



damp banks by the brook-side at Rivenhall. 



3. A form bearing a close resemblance to, if it be not identical 



with, Barbarea stricta, Andr., and which is only to be found 



on very dry banks. 

 Hypericum perforatum, L. There are two distinct varieties of 

 this species to be found about Kelvedon. These varieties are distin- 

 guishable by the form and size of the segments of the calyx. 



1. The first variety is the ordinary form of the species, in which 



the sepals are erect, lanceolate and acute, imparting a very 

 bristly appearance to the young flower-buds. The foliage 

 of this first variety is of a peculiar light green, and it varies 

 with narrow oblong and broader oblong leaves. 



2. In the second variety, the sepals are half the length of those 



of the ordinary form, and broader. They are ovate, lan- 

 ceolate, mucronate, and impart a very blunt appearance 

 to the young flower-buds. They are distinctly reflexed 

 in the early condition of the flower ; and when the fruit 

 is well developed the ends of the sepals retain the 

 reflexed character. The foliage of the plants belong- 

 ing to this variety is of a dark green colour above, very 

 glaucous beneath ; and the veins of the leaves being more 

 distant, the intervening reticulations cause them to present 

 a more pellucid appearance than is to be met with in those 

 of the ordinary form. The form and shape of the leaves 

 vary in this, as they do in those of the first variety. In 

 the larger-leaved plants, moreover, the leaves assume an 

 VOL. IV. 7 c 



