A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



the mediocre nature of the vegetation of so large an expanse of northern 

 Bucks. At Brickhill and Woburn the Greensand forms a dry hilly 

 ground, attaining an altitude of 520 feet, where the surface is a light sandy 

 material, strongly impregnated with iron, on which the pines and larch 

 appear quite at home. The heath or ericetal vegetation is very varied, and 

 several species are limited to this particular area in the county. Space 

 will not allow the whole of the species to be enumerated, but among 

 the most characteristic the following may be mentioned : the climbing 

 fumitory (Capnoides clavic u/afa), the swine's succory (Arnoseris pusilla), 

 the small mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium semidecandrum), the cudweeds 

 Filago apiculata and F. minima, the golden-rod (Solidago Firgaurea), the 

 sheep's scabious (Jasione montana), the sandwort (Buda rubra), the hawk- 

 weeds Hieracium umbellatum and H. boreale, the cress (Teesdalia nudicaulis), 

 locally abundant, the vetch (Vicia latbyroides), the bird's-foot (Ornithopus 

 perpusillus], the clovers Trifolium arvense and T. striatum, the sedges Carex 

 pilulifera and C. leporina, the ling (Calluna Erica), the buck's-horn plan- 

 tain (Plantago Coronopus], the grasses Descbampsia fexuosa, Fesfuca 

 sciuroides, Aira prtecox, A, caryopbyllea, Poa subccerulea, and Fesfuca ovina 

 var. paludosa and vu/garis, and a rich bramble flora, which will be alluded 

 to hereafter. 



Where shelter is given by the pines or where a somewhat richer 

 soil is found, then we see great tracts covered by the huckleberry (Vac- 

 cinium Myrtillus), which used to fruit so freely that the 'berries' were 

 gathered in great quantities by the poor and hawked over considerable 

 parts of the surrounding country ; and I look back with pleasant recollec- 

 tion to the toothsome delicacy of huckleberry and apple tart. Where 

 there is even a greater deposit of leaf-mould we may see tracts of that 

 most charming flower the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) flowering 

 freely. On the hill slopes, where some spring has been thrown out by 

 the clay beneath, we shall notice the hard fern (Lomaria Spicant) growing 

 by the trench sides, in which there will be a plentiful growth of Juncus 

 bulbosus (supinus). J. squarrosus also occurs, and in the marshy spots the 

 sedge Carex echinata is abundant. In one or two such places, but very 

 sparingly, I have seen the Lancashire asphodel (Nartbecium ossifragum) 

 in its only locality in north Bucks, and there are sphagnum beds of such a 

 size as leads one to hope that the fen orchid (Ma/axis paludosa] may yet 

 be found in them. In one if not more of the valleys the royal fern 

 formerly grew, but it has, I am afraid, fallen a victim to the rapacity of 

 unscrupulous horticulturists, but the marsh fern (Lastrea or Dryopteris 

 Thelypteris) is still uneradicated, and there are fine examples of its con- 

 geners L. dilatata, L. spinulosa and probably L. uliginosa. 



In one place may be gathered the graceful Scirpis syhaticus ; in others 

 the great horsetail (Equisetum maximum) grows. Where the stifFer clay 

 soil occurs at the base of the hills oak plantations take the place of the 

 pine, and there we see a fresh series of plants such as the butterfly orchid 

 (Habenaria chloroleuca], the pale sedge (Carex pallescens] ; in one place 

 the throat- wort (Campanula latifolia), the lady's mantle (Alchemilla vul- 



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