3 8o ECOLOGY 



The most abundant weeds of grass-lands are perennials, 

 namely : 



Upright Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Bulbous Crowfoot (R. 

 bulbosus), Jack-by-the-Hedge (Sisymbrium Alliaria), Mouse-ear 

 Chickweed (Cerastium triviale), Rest-harrow (Ononis arvensis), 

 Meadow Pea (Lathyrus pratensis), Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), 

 Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris), Burnets (Poterium Sanguisorba 

 and P. officinale), Earth-nut (Conopodium majus), Beaked Parsley 

 (Anthriscus sylvestris), Wild Carrot (Daucus Carota), Yellow Bed- 

 straw (Galium verum), Field Scabious (Scabiosa arvensis), Daisy 

 (Bellis perennis), Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium), Ox-eye Daisy 

 (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum) , Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea), 

 Knapweed (Centaur ea nigra), Great Knapweed (Centaur ea Scabiosa), 

 Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata), Autumn Hawk-bit (Leontodon 

 autumnale), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Cowslip (Primula 

 veris), Germander Speedwell (Veronica Chamaedrys), Self-Heal 

 (Prunella vulgaris), Hoary Plantain (Plantago media), Ribwort 

 Plantain (P. lanceolata), Sorrel or Green Sauce (Rumex Acetosa), 

 Field Rush (Luzula campestris), Spring Sedge (Car ex caryophyllea), 

 Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus). 



We thus see that for a weed to succeed among the turf- 

 forming plants of meadows and pastures it must possess 

 a similar mode of vegetative growth and reproduction, and 

 be a perennial. Very few annuals succeed here, and of 

 these the most successful are root-parasites, such as the 

 Eyebright and Yellow Rattle. But arable land, regularly 

 disturbed and prepared for the cultivation of annual and 

 biennial crops, is well adapted to the requirements of annual 

 weeds. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 



VEGETATION OF THE SEA-COAST 



A glance at a geological map of Britain shows, not only 

 how varied are the rocks inland, but also how varied they 

 are along the coast. Further, just as large inland areas are 

 covered by superficial deposits of ice-borne materials such 



