1862.] KENTISH BOTANY. 55 



maritimum ; the vix^Yiwe. Atriplices, viz. A. marina, A. laciniata, 

 and A. portulacoides, with several other commoner coast species, 

 for whose names there is no room in this article. 



Tl)e variety Artemisia galRca was seen near the river which 

 forms the modern haven or roadstead of Sandwich, This variety, 

 it may be remarked, is not the same as the maritime species of 

 this genus which grows on the French shores of the Mediterra- 

 nean, and which is so called by Continental botanists. 



The plants observed on the top of the cliff, and in other places 

 between Ramsgate and Sandwich, and which are found here and 

 there in most parts of the island, were, Fennel, of gigantic size, 

 Smyrnium Ohisatrum, Medicago sativa, Onobrychis sativa, wildk 

 Parsnip, wild Carrot, etc. Wild Celery grew about the ditches, 

 almost always associated with (Enanthe Lachenalii. 



Those who are sceptical about the existence of Smyrnium Olu- 

 satrwn as a wild plant, and also have doubts about the complete 

 naturalization of Medicago sativa and Onobrychis sativa, should 

 visit the Isle of Thanet in August or in the end of July. Then 

 and there they cannot help seeing the former in great plenty at a 

 distance from the ruins of religious houses, and, indeed, far from 

 all dwellings whatever. Also the two latter may be seen as well 

 established as the common Clover, Trifolium pratense, which 

 nobody has ever suspected to be an escape from cultivation. 



The rarest and most remarkable plant which we saw in Thanet, 

 and which belongs to this class, was Lepidium Draha, found 

 growing in no great quantity, and very stunted in its growth, on 

 the extreme verge of a very lofty cliff about halfway between 

 Margate and Birchington. This has already been recorded as a 

 Thanet plant on the authority of the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, who 

 saw it at Broadstairs and St. Peter's : the former locality produces 

 several species usually deemed alien. This plant, which is rapidly 

 gaining ground, is recorded from near Heme Bay, which may 

 also be called in question as a spurious station ; but let the plant 

 once get a footing, and there it will remain till the ground is used 

 for some purpose other than the production of stray plants. This 

 is not the case with the locality near Margate. Here there is 

 nothing either in the place itself, nor in the associates of the 

 plant, which throw any suspicion on the origin of the species, 

 which, for anything that appears to the contrary, may have 

 existed on this lofty exposed situation ever since the rock was 



