AS A BRITISH PLANT 315 



it introduced, and what is its range ? And whom are 

 we to ask ? 



After an infinite amount of pains, seeing and writ- 

 ing to all those among my acquaintance who have 

 any knowledge of our wild plant life, I discovered 

 that the mimulus grows more or less abundantly in 

 or by streams here and there in most English counties, 

 but is more commonly met with south of Derby- 

 shire ; also that it extends to Scotland, and is known 

 even in the Orkneys. Finally, a botanical friend dis- 

 covered for me that as long ago as 1846 there had 

 been a great discussion, in which a number of persons 

 took part, on this very subject of the date of the 

 naturalisation in Britain of the mimulus, in Edward 

 Newman's botanical magazine, the Phytologist. It was 

 shown conclusively by a correspondent that the plant 

 had established itself at one point as far back as the 

 year 1815. 



There may exist more literature on the subject if one 

 knew where to look for it; but we are certainly justified 

 in feeling annoyed at the silence of the makers of books 

 on British wild flowers, and the compilers of local lists 

 and floras. And what, we should like to ask of our 

 masters, is a British wild flower ? Does not the same 

 rule apply to plants as to animals namely, that when a 

 species, whether " introduced " or imported by chance 

 or by human agency, has thoroughly established itself 

 on our soil, and proved itself able to maintain its 

 existence in a state of nature, it becomes, and is a 



