1857] In the Alder Thicket. 91 



lenormandi (found three days previously at Pan Common) 

 was, on the contrary, sought for deliberately. 



" Sitting- down on the soft fronds of Thelypteris, growing 

 here as thick as corn in the field, we had leisure to survey 

 this interesting locality. 



" Here and there the tall and gorgeous panicles of Lysi- 

 machia vulgaris (yellow loose-strife) towered above the 

 matted undergrowth of Carex and fern, amongst which 

 Galium uliginosum (marsh bed-straw) tangled its weakly 

 stems, while Orchis latifolia (marsh orchis), and Pedicu- 

 laris palustris (greater red-rattle) were no inappropriate 

 companions; and the great Sedge raised its huge hassocks, 

 entwining its long leaves and stems with the alder bushes ; 

 and half hidden by these were the clumps of Osmunda, 

 scarcely to be distinguished from young ash trees in the 

 distance; and under these giants of their tribe nestled the 

 delicately fragile lady fern." 



A week after this he visited, for the first ,time (July i8th), 

 the celebrated part of the Island called '* The Undercliff," 

 which lies between the southern Chalk Downs and the 

 sea. 



Differing much in its climate, scenery, and character from 

 the rest of the Isle of Wight, the Undercliff is a most attrac- 

 tive district for the botanist to visit. About a dozen species 

 of plants not found elsewhere in the Isle are gathered within 

 its somewhat narrow limits ; one indeed, the curious 

 Arum italicum, or Italian wake-robin, had then* the repu- 

 tation of possessing no other locality in Britain ; while 

 several others are species distinguished by special rarity 

 and beauty. In fact, on a first visit it was thought 

 advisable to " carry a list of the species most worth looking 

 after" an unusual precaution with him, whose memory 

 seldom needed to be supplemented on these minutia>. On 

 passing the Land-slip or eastern extremity of the Under- 

 cliff " The abundance of lime-loving plants was apparent 

 enough. Lathyrus sylvestris (wild everlasting pea) is a 

 very prominent feature even to the non-botanist, as it is 

 quite a striking plant from its size and gaily-coloured 

 flow r ers. Polyommatus alsus (the Bedford blue butterfly) 



* Arum italicum also occurs in the West of Cornwall. 



