262 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 12- 



Erica tetralix, E. cinerea, and Calluna erica. From tte boggy places 

 we obtain Viola palustris, Hypericum tetrapterum, the carnivorous 

 Drosera rotundifolia, a viviparous variety of Festuca ovina, 

 Epilobium palustre, Eriopborum angustifolium, Carex stellulata, 

 C. glauca, and a plentiful supply of tbe golden starry spikes of the 

 Lancashire Asphodel— Narthecium ossifragum. The specific name 

 of this plant has its origin in a supposed property of softening the 

 bones of the cattle that eat it. 



In the woods and plantations on the Fell sides and in the vicinity, 

 we have obtained at various times Anemone nemorosa, Arum 

 maculatum, Mercurialis perennis, Scilla nutans, Cardamine amara, 

 Lychnis diurna, Geum urbanum, Carex sylvatica, Bromus asper, OxaHs 

 acetoseUa, Stellaria Holostea, and AUium ursinum, with its beautiful 

 starry blossoms and its valiant odour. The English name of this 

 plant is "Eamsons," and it was evidently at one time considered to 

 possess excellent medicinal properties, for an old rhyme runs : — 



Eat leeks in March and ramaons in May, 



All the year after the doctor may play. 

 In a walk from Longridge to Chipping a good addition may be made 

 to the number of our specimens. The most notable are Campanula 

 latifolia, Salix pentandria, S. viminalis, Bromus moUis, Adoxa 

 moschateUina, A. caryophyUea, Briza media, Poa triviaUs, Vicia 

 cracca, Trifolium dubium, Geranium dissectum, G. moUe, G. 

 Eobertianum, G. lucidum, Crepis virens, Hieracium boreale, Pulicaria 

 dysenterica, Rumex viridis, Polypodium vulgare and Asplenium ruta- 

 muraria. The latter grows in abundance on the churchyard wall at 

 Chipping. "We have been told that Ceterach ofiicinarum grows on a 

 certain wall near the same village, but have not verified the statement. 

 If our walk be extended to WhiteweU some rarer plants may be 

 added, such as Pinguicula vulgaris, Myrrhis odorata, Chrysosplenium 

 alternifolium, Sagiua nodosa, Scirpus fluitans, Equisetum sylvaticum, 

 Glyceria pHcata, Ranunculus Lenormandi, Agrimonia odorata, Listera 

 ovata, Orchis Morio, Epipactis latifolia, Scrophularia Balbisii, Veronica 

 Anagallis, and several mosses and hepaticae. A day on Parlick will 

 furnish the bryologist withClimacium dendroiJes, Hyocomium flageUare, 

 Eurhynchium myosuroides, E. striatum, £. piliferum, E. prselongum. 



