Outlines of the Botany of the Isle of Wight. 501 



Newtoivn * salt-pans are the chief locality we have for Inula 

 crithmoides ; Frankenia laevis and many other less rare seaside plants 

 also occur here. 



Yarmouth * and Norton Spit correspond in a striking manner with 

 Brading Harbour and St. Helen's Spit at the other extremity of the Isle 

 of Wight. Both creeks nearly cut off the so-called islands of Fresh- 

 water and Bembridge, and the vegetation of the two places is very 

 similar. Yarmouth, indeed, produces Statice rariflora and Spartina, 

 neither of which occur at Bembridge ; but the sandy point at Norton is 

 not nearly so rich as St. Helen's, though Asparagus officinalis, Phleum 

 arenarium, and Crambe maritima are peculiar to it. Several trefoils, 

 Glaucium, &c., may be worth a passing glance, and inland are many 

 scarce plants. Chenopodium glaucum, and Festuca Myurus at Thorley. 

 Chenopodium murale in the town. Hyoscyamus niger attains a large 

 size to the west of Norton ; but it is its vicinity to Freshwater, with its 

 cliffs, bog, and heath, that renders Yarmouth so desirable headquarters 

 for a botanist. 



At Alum Bay Erodium maritimum grows abundantly in the War- 

 ren, and with it Erythraea latifolia ; but the beach henceforth becomes 

 remarkably destitute of maritime plants, owing to the constant crum- 

 bling of the soft materials of which the cliffs consist ; the fallen masses 

 are no sooner detached than they are washed away without affording 

 time for the growth of vegetation. Indeed, it may well be presumed, 

 that the number of our coast plants is from this cause decreasing, and 

 we may have others soon to enrol with Euphorbia Peplis, Lathyrus 

 maritimus, and Statice spathulata, as extinct. 



To proceed Freshwater Cliffs are productive of many interesting 

 species. 



Two of the rock plants are peculiar to this end of the island ; if, at 

 least, we suppose Statice occidentalis still survives in some of the 

 inaccessible ledges of the cliffs. Raphanus maritimus has within the 

 last two years appeared in one of the coves of the Undercliff, as if the 

 offspring of some sea-borne plant drifted by the tides from Freshwater, 

 its only station. Cochlearia danica, and C. officinalis are also confined 

 to the western extremity of the Isle of Wight. 



The plant that will first catch the eye is the large perennial Sand- 

 wort (Lepigonum rufiicola], whose roots enter deep into the crevices of 

 the chalk, and presents, when its flowers are fully expanded, a most 

 pleasing sight : by its side flourish the wall Pellitory, Samphire, Sea- 

 beet, and many others, but a short description, from the pen of Dr. 

 Bromfield, will give the best idea of the most prominent objects. 



"In that part of the majestic line of cliffs called the Main Bench 



*A careful search in the salt marshes of Newtown, and especially of 

 Yarmouth, will very probably prove the lost Scirpus parvulus a native of the 

 island as well as of the opposite coast. So inconspicuous a plant is very liable 

 to be overlooked among the rank vegetation and sea rushes, in whose company 

 it is said to flourish. 



