1862.] PLANTS OF ENFIELD CHASE. 301 



There are several very interesting plants in this part of the 

 Chase, viz. between Chase Cottage and South Lodge — a man- 

 sion and park once occupied by the celebrated Earl of Chatham, 

 the father of the equally celebrated Mr. Pitt. This eminent 

 statesman resided here before the Chase was disforested. 



These two residences are about a mile or a mile and a half 

 apart, and are situated on a ridge which extends all the way to 

 Southgate. To the south or south-east there is a considerable 

 depression or valley, where there are large ponds — fish-ponds 

 anciently, but now nearly filled up with mud and vegetation. On 

 these both the white and yellow Water Lilies grow abundantly ; 

 and on the bank of the middle pond, shaded by Alders and other 

 moisture-loving trees, there was gathered by one of our fair com- 

 panions a fine specimen of Inula Helenium. There Avere several 

 roots of this fine plant here. 



That this famous plant is a genuine native of this place, depo- 

 nent will not venture to affirm ; but he can say with assurance 

 that, to his knowledge, it does not grow in any station between 

 our four seas where it has so fair claims to be recognized as a 

 wild plant. It is far from any garden, and it is far from the 

 site of the gardens of the noble occupant of South Lodge. This 

 place is so solitary as to be haunted by herons, very shy birds. 



The vegetation there is just what is common to such places, 

 viz. Figworts, Loosestrife, Forget-me-Not, Water Veronicas, 

 Bur- reeds, Pondweeds, the usual tall Water Grasses, etc. 



The only other plant which by courtesy might be called rare, 

 is the pretty blue Periwinkle, Vinca minor. This carpeted 

 almost every wood or coppice near Enfield, and it was equally 

 plentiful about Southgate. 



Another rare plant observed during this walk, but on a more 

 elevated part of the Chase, viz. on the ridge not far from the 

 road, was Sambucus Ebulus, a species which it has become fash- 

 ionable in some quarters to stigmatize as a suspected alien. 

 In the ' Cybele ' it is called a denizen, which is indeed the highest 

 honour that by the laws of botanical distribution can be conferred 

 on a stranger or wayfarer. The term implies inferiority to the 

 ancient noblesse. 



Vinca minor, on the same indisputable authority, is ranked 

 with Sambucus Ebulus, viz. it is a denizen. The last and scarcest 

 of the three, Inula Helenium, Elecampane, is privileged to enjoy 



