A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



have been lately much on the increase. On the open Downs the bulk of the turf consists of 

 Festuca ov'ma and Bromus erectus, with here and there an admixture of Kceleria cristata, and 

 on the northern slopes the very conspicuous Brachypodium pinnatum. On the broken de- 

 clivities and ridges of cultivated ground grow Rosa micrantha, Rosa rubiginosa, rarely Rosa 

 spinosissima and Rosa septum^ the last named being very local. Juniperus communis is extremely 

 rare here, and only grows to the height of a few inches. The wooded parts are chiefly com- 

 posed of beech and ash ; oak only occasionally occurs. Taxus baccata is invariably planted. 



Ranunculace^ 

 EranthU hyemale Salisb. 

 Ranunculus Lingua L. 

 Delphinium Ajacis Reich. 



CrUCIFERjE 



Nasturtium amphibium Br. 

 Thlaspi perfoliatum L. 



Caryophvllace^ 

 Silene noctiflora L. 



HyPERICACEjE 



Hypericum montanum L. 



Leguminifer^ 

 Trifolium maritimum Huds. 

 Vicia lathyroides L. 

 Anthyllis vulneraria v. Dillenii. 



Rosacea 

 Rosa sepium Thuil. 

 R. tomentosa v. subglobosa S«. 

 R. canina v. lutetiana Leman 



V. sphaerica Grem. 



V. urbica Leman 



V. arvatica Bak. 



v. tomentella Leman 



Umbellifer^ 

 Seseli Libanotis Koch. 



Gentianace^ 

 Gentiania campestris L. 

 Limnanthemum peltatum Link. 



Labiate 

 Melittis Melissophyllum L. 



PoLYGONACE^ 



Rumex maximus Schreb. 



EuPHORBIACE« 



Euphorbia pilosa L. 



Umentifer^ 

 Salix pentandra L. 



Orchidace^e 

 Orchis ustulata L. 

 Habenaria albida Br. 

 Ophrys aranifera Huds. 

 Herminium monorchis Br. 



Amaryllidace^ 

 Leucojum aestivum L. 



Naiadace^ 

 Potamogeton Friesii Rupr. 



Charace^ 

 Chara fragllis v. Hedwigii Desv. 



Nitella transit 



Agardh. 



V. The Cuckmere 



In tracing the limits of this district we take the East Rother boundary to Cross-in-Hand, 

 and then turn west of Passingworth Woods to Hawkhurst Common, East Hoathly, Stone 

 Cross (to the west of Vert Woods), across the Dicker to Berwick, Alfriston and Climping, 

 thence to the signal house on the coast west of Cuckmere Haven. The drainage of the 

 western and largest part of this district is effected by the Cuckmere, which has two principal 

 streams uniting at Hellingly. An independent stream, the Ashburn, drains the eastern portion 

 and reaches the sea near the Red House at Pevensey. The outfall of the Cuckmere at 

 Cuckmere Haven is bounded on the east and west by chalk cliffs, and is frequently blocked 

 up by the shingle, which the set of the tide under the action of a south-west wind accumulates, 

 and affords a favourable locality for marine plants. The highest points in this district are the 

 South Downs, on the south-west, which rise to 536 feet at the noble promontory of Beachy 

 Head. 



The Wealden beds here are to a great extent brought under cultivation, and the wood- 

 lands are comparatively few. There is one large plantation however of about 1,000 acres, 

 which chiefly consists of oak ; this includes Abbot's Wood, Wilmington Wood, Folkington 

 Wood, and Gnat Wood, which latter has been thoroughly explored, and affords many interest- 

 ing species. The Pevensey Levels, consisting of alluvium, form an extensive flat extending 

 for nearly seven miles along the shore, and running for about six miles inland ; bordering 

 this is a shingle beach about a mile in width at Langley, and forming thence a narrow belt 

 from Pevensey to Bexhill. Here, although an unpromising place, a list of 152 plants was 

 made some time ago, and this has since been extended. 



56 



