A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



the willow herb [Epilobium angustifo/ium), the heath bedstraw {Galium hercynicum), the penny- 

 wort {Hydrocotyle vulgaris), the thistle {Carduus tenuiflorus), now probably extinct, the cudweeds 

 {Gnaphalium germanicum and G. sy/vaticum), the blue fleabane {Erigeron acre), the heath 

 groundsel {Senecio sylvaticus), the woolly-headed thistle [Cnicus eriophorus), the cotton thistle 

 (Onopordon Acanthium), the Leontodon hirtum, the heaths {Calluna Erica, Erica cinerea and E. 

 Tetralix), the viper's bugloss {Echium vulgare), the scorpion grasses (Afyosotis cespitosa, M. 

 versicolor, and M. collina), the heath dodder {Cmcuta Epithymum), the foxglove {Digitalis purpurea), 

 the mulleins {Ferbascum virgatum and F. Thapsus), the speedwell [Veronica officinalis), the wood 

 sage {Teucrium Scorodonia), the pennyroyal [Mentha Pulegium), the bog pimpernel [Jnagallis 

 tenella), the birch [Betula alba), the Scotch fir [Pinus sylvestris) [planted], the rushes [Juncus 

 squarrosus and jf. hulbosus or "J. supinus), the sedges [Carex pilulifcra, C. leporina and C. panicea), 

 the grasses [Anthoxanthum aristatum var. Puelii, Agrostis pumila, A. canina, Deschampsia flexuosa, 

 Aira pracox, A. caryophyllea, Sieglingia decumbens, Fcstuca Myurus, F. sciuroides, F. ovina), and 

 the ferns [Lomaria Spicant, Athyrium Filix-foemina, Polystichum aculeatum, Dryopteris [Lastrea) 

 spinulosa and D. dilatata, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Phyllitis Scolopendrium, Asplenium Adiantum- 

 nigrum), the moon wort [Botrychium Lunaria), and the field club-moss [Lycopodium clavatum), 

 besides other interesting species. 



Hunsbury Hill, capped with Northampton sands, although now under cultivation, affords 

 or has afforded the mousetail [Myosurus minimus), the Dane wort [Sambucus Ebulus), the darnel 

 [Lolium temulentum), and the sheep's fescue [Festuca ovina), but the ironstone quarries have 

 much diminished the best botanizing ground. The red mint [Mentha rubra), and the marsh 

 stitchwort [Stellaria palustris) have been found in wet ground at the base. 



The reservoir near Drayton has the rushes [Juncus obtusiflorus and J. compressus), the 

 water chickweed [Cerastium aquaticum), the cress [Roripa [Nasturtium'] palustris), the marsh 

 bedstraw [Galium uUginosum), the pondweeds [Potamogeton natans and P. polygonifolius), and 

 other species. 



Daventry reservoir is bordered with a local grass [Alopecurus fulvus) ; the marsh orchis 

 [Ophrys latifolia),tihe narrow-leaved reed mace [Typha angustifolia), the water m\\io'\\[Myriophyllum 

 spicatum), the pondweed [Potamogeton decipiens, and P. lucens var. acuminatus) have also been 

 gathered there. 



Plain Woods, near Blisworth, afford the true downy rose [Rosa villosa or R. mollis), the 

 saw wort [Serratula tinctoria), the cow wheat [Melampyrum pratense), the columbine [Aquilegia 

 vulgaris) and the autumnal gentian [Gentiana Amarella), and the hedges near have Rosa glauca 

 Vill., R. ccEsia, Sm. [R. coriifoUa, Fries.), R. mollissima, Willd. [R. tomentosa, Sm.), with the 

 varieties scabriuscula (Sm.) and sylvestris (Lindl.). 



Salcey Forest and the neighbourhood of Quinton and Courteenhall yield that graceful 

 pendulous sedge [Carex pendula), the yellow star of Bethlehem [Gagea fascicularis), the bell 

 flowers [Campanula Trachelium and C. glomerata), the spurge laurel [Daphne Laureola), the 

 leopard's bane [Doronicum Pardalianches) but not native, the fly orchis [Ophrys muscifera), the 

 wild tulip [Tulipa sylvestris), the cinquefoil [Potentilla sylvestris), and the great burnet saxifrage 

 [Pimpinella major). 



A pond in a quarry near Northampton has the great spearwort [Ranunculus Lingua), and 

 that beautiful sedge [Carex Pseudo-cyperus), and the ditches near yield the peppermint [Mentha 

 piperita), and the grey sedge [Carex divulsa). The river side and meadows near Northampton 

 and Kingsthorpe are or were the place of growth of the snake's head [Fritillaria Meleagris), the 

 meadow saffron [Colchicum autumnale), the dropwort [CEnanthe fistulosa), the marsh stitchwort 

 [Stellaria palustris), Samolus Valerandi and Scirpus sylvaticus, and of the meadow cranesbill 

 [Geranium pratense), and the bur marigolds [Bidens cernua and B. tripartita). 



Some of the walls near Brampton have the navel wort [Cotyledon Umbilicus), the white 

 stonecrop [Scdum album), and the hedge banks have the round-leaved cranesbill [Geranium 

 rotundifolium). The neighbourhood also affords the white-flowered helleborine [Cephalanthera 

 pallens), the meadow dropwort [Spiraa Filipendula), and the grass [Holcus mollis). 



The ironstone quarries have several species more or less native, these include the worm- 

 wood [Artemisia Absinthium), the white mignonette [Reseda alba), the poppy [Papaver somni- 

 ferum), the parsley [Petroselinum sativum), the feverfew [Chrysanthemum Parthenium), the cotton 

 thistle [Onopordon Acanthium), the vervain [Ferbena officinalis), and the narrow-leaved vetch 

 [Ficia angustifolia). 



Among the adventitious species introduced either by wool-washing or from the winnow- 

 ings of corn are Medicago arabica, M. denticulata, TrifoUum resupinatum, Couringia orientalis, 

 and Erodium moschatum. 



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