BOTANY 



herb [EpUohium tetragonum), the frog-bit {Hydrocharis Morsus-rante), the duckweeds [Lemna 

 trisu/ca, L. polyrhiza, L. g'bka), the opposite-leaved pondweed {Potamogeton densum) in enormous 

 quantities, the crisped water caltrops [P. crispum), the water buttercup [Ranunculus Drouetii), 

 the horned pondweed {Zannichellia pa/ustris), the cyperus sedge [Carex Pseudo-cyperus), the 

 marsh stitchwort [Stellaria palmtrii), the bladder-wort [Utricularia vulgaris), several species of 

 knot-grass namely [Polygonum mite, P. minus, P. Hydropiper, P. maculatum and P. lapathifolium), 

 the grass Panicularia [Glyceria) pticata, and Chara contraria and C. fragilis. 



Oxney Lode has also the very local grass Alopecurus fulvus, the rare water starwort 

 [Callitriche vernalis, Kuetz. = C verna, L.), and the tiny club-rush [Eleocharis acicularis). 



By the sides of these drains especially by the old county boundary of the Cat Water I 

 have gathered the willows [Salix acuminata, S. purpurea, S. Smithiana, S. fragilis, S. viminalis x 

 aurita and S. Hoffmaniana), the wild rose [Rosa mollissima) and the spurge laurel [Daphne 

 Laureola). 



One of the most abundant species in the reclaimed fen district is the hemlock [Conium 

 maculatum) which grows in great abundance along the fen dykes, and the heath groundsel 

 [Senecio sylvaticus) is also very common. The knot-grass [Polygonum aviculare) occurs in vast 

 profusion on the grassy roads. Both species of the pale poppy [Papaver Lecoqii and P. Lamot- 

 tei) are common, while on sunny banks the knotted parsley [Caucalis nodosa) is very frequent. 

 Other conspicuous plants are the hemp nettle [Galeopsis Tetrahit) and the black poplar [Populus 

 nigra), but the latter and the wych elm [Ulmus campestris, L.) and the common elm [U. sativa, 

 Miller) have been planted. The arable fields are singularly free from weeds, and the pastures 

 show few species and those chiefly the commonest grasses; in many of them such plants as the 

 eyebright, the milkwort, the green-veined orchis, the meadow dropwort and even the yellow 

 rattle appear to be absent. 



Milton Woods which are on the cornbrash are said to yield the juniper [Juniperus com- 

 munis), and the spurge laurel [Daphne Laureola), the dropwort [Spiraa Filipendula), the ramsons 

 [Allium ursinum), the hawthorn [Crataegus oxyacanthoides), the knotted parsley [Caucalis nodosa) 

 and the upright brome grass [Bromus erectus) are found either in the woods or in the adjoining 

 grassy country. 



In the extensive alluvial meadows bordering the Nene and on its banks have been noticed 

 the handsome water parsnep [Sium latifolium), the yellow loosestrife [Lysimachia vulgaris), the 

 wood club-rush Scirpus sylvaticus with its graceful inflorescence, the white-flowered round- 

 leaved Samolus Valerandi, the narrow-leaved reed mace [Typha angustifolia), the great burnet 

 [Poterium officinale), the yellow cresses [Roripa [Nasturtium'] amphibia, R. sylvestris and R. 

 palustris), the grasses [Bromus commutatus, B. racemosus and B. erectus), the rush [Juncus compres- 

 sus), the hawkweed [Crepis biennis), the latter abundant near Wansford, the willows [Salix pur- 

 purea, S. triandra and 5. Smithiana), and in the water may be seen both the yellow and white 

 water lilies, the pondweeds [Potamogeton intcrruptus, P. Friesii, P. lucens and P. densus), the 

 dropworts [CEnanthe fistulosa, CE. Phellandrium and CE. fluviatilis), the horned pondweed [Zan- 

 nichellia palustris), the stinking Chara fragilis var. Hedwigii and C. contraria, and profusion of 

 the arrow-head [Sagittaria) and the flowering rush [Butomus umbellatus). 



In a small marsh on the Upper Lias clay near Biggin the Rev. M. J. Berkeley found the 

 marsh cinquefoil [Potentilla palustris), but there is no recent record for this widely distributed 

 British species whose occurrence assumes the presence of peat. 



The walls of Peterborough Cathedral formerly had the pennywort; indeed the figure in 

 Sowerby's English Botany was drawn from a plant gathered from this place. It is now extinct 

 but the red valerian [Centranthus ruber), the white stonecrop [Sedum album), the great snap- 

 dragon [Antirrhinum majus), the wall-flower [Cheiranthus Cheiri), the male fern [Dryopteris 

 Filix-mas), the grass [Poa compressa) and the ivy-leaved snapdragon [Linaria Cymbalaria), are 

 still to be found thereon. 



By the railway the wall rocket [Diplotaxis muralis) is frequent. 



In the vicinity of the ruins of Fotheringay Castle the local small-flowered buttercup 

 [Ranunculus parviforus) grows wild, and as relics probably of the Castle gardens the cotton thistle 

 [Onopordon Acanthium) which the village people still call Queen Mary's thistle, and the pale- 

 flowered jonquil [Narcissus hiforus) have been noticed. The pastures have afforded the burnt 

 orchis (0. ustulata), but that has been apparently limited to the area where chalk drift occurs, 

 and the perfoliate yellow-wort [Blackstonia perfoliata) also shows a preference for a similar soil. 

 In rich ground full of nitrates in the neighbourhood of Peterborough the annual mercury 

 [Mercurialis annua), the white-flowered nightshade [Solanum nigrum), and the oak-leaved 

 goosefoot [Chenopodium fcifoUum) have been found. 



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