Outlines of the Botany of the Isle of Wight. 507 



DIVISION III. 

 PLANTS OF THE CENTRAL CHALK RANGE. 



It is in the neighbourhood of Newport, and thence in a south-west 

 direction, that is found the most considerable extent of chalk. Here, 

 instead of forming a single narrow ridge, the downs are, as it were, 

 massed together, and occupy a continuous tract measuring fully three 

 miles across, and comprising both arable and pasture land : there are 

 also several copses, but of inconsiderable size. 



Accordingly the chalk vegetation finds its metropolis in the centre of 

 the island, and chiefly in West Medina. Not only are the characteristic 

 plants most abundant here, but several species seem to be, as regards 

 the Isle of Wight, confined to this district. Dr. Bromfield has suggested 

 that several of these plants, so local with us, exhibit elsewhere a certain 

 repugnance to the sea-coast, and that this may be the reason why they 

 should be so scantily distributed in the Isle of Wight. He was inclined 

 to refer also the absence of others, as Phyteuma, Dipsacus pilosus, and 

 Convallaria multiflora, to the same cause. 



The following is a list of those species which with us evince a 

 decided preference for calcareous soil. 



Calcareophilous ', or Lime-loving Plants. 



U. 



Clematis Vitalba. 

 Helleborus fcetidus, U.* 

 Arabis hirsuta. 

 Reseda lutea. 



Luteola. 



Helianthemum vulgare. 

 Cerastium pumilum. 

 Hypericum hirsutum. 



montanum, 

 Geranium lucidum. 



columbinum. 

 Rhamnus catharticus. 

 Anthyllis Vulneraria. 

 Astragalus glycyphyllus, U. 

 Hippocrepis comosa- 

 Onobrychis sativa. 

 Spiraea Filipendula. 

 Poterium Sanguisorba. 

 Pyrus Aria. 

 Bryonia dioica. 

 SisonAmomum, rathergeneral. 



Pastinaca sativa. 

 Torilis nodosa. 

 Viburnum Lantana. 

 Rubia peregrina. 

 Asperula cynanchica. 

 Scabiosa columbaria. 

 Inula Conyza. 

 Cirsium eriophorum. 

 Carduus nutans. 



acanthoides. 



acaulis. 

 Centaurea Scabiosa. 



nigrescens. 

 Cichorium Intybus. 

 Apargia hispida. 

 Picris hieracioides. 

 Campanula glomerata. 

 Trachelium. 

 Monotropa Hypopitys. 

 Chlora perfoliata. 

 Gentiana Amarella. 



* Those plants which are followed by the capital letter U are peculiar to the 

 Undercliff ; not having been yet found upon the Central Chalk. 



