A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



many places. It abounds on Beachy Head, and is to be frequently met 

 with in the direction of Hampshire. 



A pretty dark blue flower is the autumnal gentian (G. amarella), 

 which decks the higher grounds in patches, and to the same family 

 belongs that striking plant the yellow wort [Chlora perfoliata) of vivid 

 hue and glaucous foliage. The tall mulleins are conspicuous in shady 

 lanes. The great mullein {Verbascum Thapsus), known in Sussex as 

 the blanket plant, which occasionally reaches six feet in height, is 

 common. The dark mullein {V. nigrum) is local, occurring chiefly 

 towards the west, as at Sutton, Harting and Racton. The white 

 mullein {V. lychnitis) found at Halnaker and Dale Park is rare. The 

 bastard toadflax {Thesium humifusum) is met with only on the chalk. 

 It was discovered to be a parasite, attached by its roots to various plants, 

 by the Sussex botanist Mitten. This curious little species has very small 

 greenish white flowers and stems which creep along the ground, as its 

 name implies. In Arundel Park I have noticed it in plenty. 



Certain of the grasses which are found on the downs are beautiful 

 and others useful. A handsome grass is the glabrous oat grass [Avena 

 pratensis), shining with its bronzed plumes. Another is the rarer barren 

 false brome [Brachypodium pinnatum) to be seen on Roche's Hill, Good- 

 wood, and a pretty species is the crested hair grass (Kceleria cristata), 

 but none is more useful than the sheep's fescue {Festuca ovina), to which 

 is attributed the superiority of our South Down mutton, although some 

 assert that this is owing to the zoned snail [Helix virgata), which we 

 frequently find climbing up the stems of this grass, and of which no 

 doubt the sheep eat quantities. To turn now to our orchids, in which 

 Sussex is richer than any county in England, with the exception of 

 Kent. A large proportion love the chalk, many delight in our beechen 

 hangers, and others have their homes in the boggy lands at the foot of 

 the downs. As to the insectiform species, we have the bee [Ophrys 

 apifera), capricious in appearance, usually met with on the downs, but 

 occasionally in low situations, as by Chichester Canal ; the pretty fly 

 (0. muscifera), almost always at a considerable elevation ; the early spider 

 (O. aranifera), in east Sussex, near Piecombe, and its variety the drone 

 (O. fucifera), specimens of which I had sent me from Lewes. Some 

 of our orchids flower at different seasons in different localities, so that 

 one would suppose that they were of distinct species. As instances, the 

 frog orchis [Orchis viridis), which flowers at Fishbourne in the low 

 ground quite a month earlier than it does at Harting and Goodwood, 

 and similarly with the fragrant orchis [Gynadenia Compsed), which is 

 comparatively small on the downs compared with its very luxuriant 

 growth in the valley of the Ems. The pyramidal orchis [Orchis 

 pyramidalis), with its dense spike of lovely rose, is common along the 

 whole range. We have both the greater butterfly [Habenaria chhranthd) 

 and the lesser butterfly [H. bifo/ia). The curious green man orchis 

 [Aceras anthropophoni) occurs at Horeham, and Hurstpierpoint. The 

 dwarf dark-winged orchis (O. ustulatd) is only found eastward, but 



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