VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 55 



the flora resembles that of a salt marsh in the primary stages of 

 colonisation. Salicornia europcea is the commonest species 

 growing, with which are Aster Tripolium (f.), Glyceria mari- 

 time* (v.r.), Salicornia perennis (v.r.), Enteromorpha (v.c.), 

 and Fucus volubilis (v.c.) ; also Salicornia dolicostachya, 

 which is found on relict marshes on the other side of the 

 estuary. From the above it will be seen that this marsh 

 differs from the usual early phase in the presence of Salicornia 

 perennis and Glyceria maritima ; the latter especially is typical 

 of late stages, whilst the former is seldom found on young 

 saltings except at the high edges. The presence of these two 

 species as great rarities on this marsh, which is of considerable 

 extent, the deep channelling which it exhibits, and its situation 

 relative to an eroded lateral, taken together, suggest that we 

 have to deal here with the re-colonisation of a derelict marsh 

 rather than the primary establishment of a new one. On this 

 view the plants in question must be regarded as survivals from 

 the former occupation. 

 V. SPECIES : RARE, LOCAL, OR OF SPECIAL INTEREST. 



One of the most interesting features floristically that the 

 Blakeney area presents is perhaps the occurrence here of 

 Mertensia maritima (Fig. 17), furnishing its most southerly 

 habitat on the eastern coast. It was recorded from this 

 station in 1905 by Mr. W. H. Burrell, in the Transactions 

 of the Society for that year. As an English plant the species 

 is rare, but, as would be expected from its northern character, 

 becomes much more frequent on the Scottish coasts. 



Of the other plants rare or local in the county a most 

 pronounced feature is the number of Mediterranean species 

 which are Tiere either at or near their northern limit of distribu- 

 tion. Of these the most striking is Suceda fruticosa, which, 

 by its luxuriance, would appear to belie climatic influence. 

 Elsewhere it is also to be met with on the shingle of Suftolk 

 and Essex, and on the great Chesil bank in Dorset. Another 

 interesting example is the Hair Grass, Corynephorus canescens 

 (Fig. 11), which is mentioned as occurring here and in other 

 stations by Trimmer in his Flora of Norfolk (London, 1866, 



