34 CEUCIFEEJE. 



been given me by Mr. Parry, of Warwick. It grows there in 

 great abundance, the stems rising to the height of a foot and a 

 half. The flowers are insignificant, often wanting the petals 

 altogether, but the abundance of finely-cut bright-tinted foliage 

 makes the plant attractive. The leaflets are narrower in this 

 species than in the others. 



The Marsh Bitter Cress (C. amara), is a very handsome 

 plant. I have gathered it in the Ironbank woods, near Rich- 

 mond, and also in Swaledale. The foliage is more abundant 

 and of a lighter green than that of its sister, the Cuckoo- 

 Flower. The spike is very compact, and the large brilliant white 

 of the petals is relieved by violet anthers. The whole family 

 deserve their name of Bitter Cress ; but this species has the 

 biting principle in a greater degree than the others, so as to be 

 quite unpleasant to the palate. They all flower in April and May. 



Swaledale has furnished me with two species of the Hock 

 Cress, the characteristics of which family are oblong petals, 

 and narrow pod with flat valves. The common Bock Cress 

 (Arabis thaliana), grows on crumbling rocks in woods about 

 Reeth. The foliage is hairy and slightly toothed, the height 

 varies from one inch to half a foot. 



The Hairy Rock Cress (A. hirsiita), is woody and very erect, 

 often above a foot high. The root-leaves grow in the form of 

 a star, and then the stiff stem shoots up from their centre, and 

 the toothed leaves are seated on the stem at short intervals. 

 It grows abundantly on old walls in Swaledale, flowering in 

 May a little later than the last species. 



Fanny found the Bristol Rock Cress (A. stricta), on Cadbury 

 Hill, near Congresbury, in Somerset. Its larger flowers, with 

 a cream-coloured erect petal, distinguish it from the other 

 species. It blooms in the same month. 



The Alpine Rock Cress (A. alpina), is not found wild, but it 

 is a common garden flower. Its heart-shaped toothed leaves of 

 white powdery texture and brilliant clusters of white scented 

 flowers make it deservedly a favourite. 



