BOTANY 



rarest of British plants, grows very close to our boundary in Oxfordshire, and may perchance 

 there spread into Bucks. The ivy-leaved bell-flower (Cervicina hederacea) is found in Bagley 

 Wood, Berks, and is an unlikely plant to occur in Bucks. Samolus Valerandi is almost certain 

 to be found, as it grows in all the bordering counties, and in Beds not far from our boundary ; 

 eminently suitable places for it are at the base of Brill Hill and by the Ouse near Olney. 

 Erytbrtea pulchella will probably be found, as it is reported for all the bordering counties. 

 Gentiana Pneumonanthe, found in Berkshire, is not a plant that will be found in Bucks ; but 

 G. campestris, which is recorded for all the bordering counties except Middlesex, may be found, 

 but some of the old records were perhaps incorrect, as forms of G. Amarella were sometimes 

 mistaken for it. The hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum montanum) may be expected ; it is found 

 in Oxfordshire near to the border, and is also found in Herts and Northants. The comfrey 

 (Symphytum tuberosum), recorded for Herts, Beds and Northants, is probably introduced in all 

 these cases. The wood scorpion-grass (Myosotis sylvatica), which is found in the woods of 

 Berks and Herts, although very locally, may probably be found in some of the woods on the 

 Bucks border. The figwort, Scrophularia umbrosa or Ehrbarti, was once found in Middlesex ; 

 and the cow-wheat (Melampyrum cristatum), which is abundant in some of the woods on the 

 eastern side of Beds, and is recorded for Northants and Herts, has indeed been reported to grow 

 at Wendover, but so far it has not been refound ; and another species, M. arvense, has been 

 once found as a casual in Herts. The broom rape (Orobanche elatior) is likely to be added to 

 our list, as it grows in Oxon, Berks, Herts and Northants ; while O. purpurea, a very local 

 species, is recorded for Herts only. 



The small bladder-wort (Utricularia minor) has been recorded for several bordering 

 counties, but unless the plant is found in the flowering state U. major or U. vu/garis in a 

 young condition may be mistaken for it. The wound-wort (Stachys gtrmanica), a very local 

 species, which grows in the limestone district of Oxfordshire and is reported from Beds and 

 Northants, is probably absent from our area ; nor is the water germander (Teucrium Scordium) 

 very likely to be found, although it still exists in Berks, but is extinct in Oxford and Northants. 

 The ground pine (Ajuga Chanuspitys) may occur, as it grows in Herts and Beds and is reported 

 from Northants. The goosefoot (Chenopodium g/aucum), which grows near Staines in Middle- 

 sex, is very likely to be found about the brickyards of Slough or Langley. The caper spurge 

 (Euphorbia lathyrls) is a native of the woods of Northants and possibly Berks, but is apparently 

 only an alien in Bucks. The sweet gale (Myrica Gale] occurs on the Bagshot Sands in Berks, 

 as does another very local species, Illecebrum verticillatum ; but the latter is not likely to extend 

 into Bucks. Salix pentandra, a northern species, is apparently native in Northants, but is only 

 planted in the other bordering counties ; and S. acuminata, supposed to be a hybrid, is also 

 only recorded from the fens of Northants. A form of the water hone-wort, Ceratophyllum 

 submersum, should occur, but it is easily passed over for the more widely distributed species ; it 

 occurs in Berks and Middlesex. The water soldier (Stratiotes Aloides) occurs only as a planted 

 species in the county, but has more claims to be considered indigenous in Berks, and it was 

 formerly certainly native in Northants. The small fen orchid (Ma/axis paludosa) is now 

 extinct in Beds and Herts, but the sword-leaved helleborine (Cephalanthera ensifo/ia), 

 which grows in Oxon near to our boundary and in Herts, may possibly be found. The 

 monkey orchid (Orchis Simla) is now limited to a few square yards in Oxfordshire, where its 

 days are, it is to be feared, numbered. The spider orchid (Ophrys aranifera), reported for 

 Oxford, Beds and Northants, is almost or quite extinct in each county, and is not very likely 

 to be found with us. The garlic (Allium oleraceum) may however be found, as it is recorded 

 for Berks, Middlesex, Herts, Beds and Northants. The starch hyacinth (Muscari) is reported 

 for Berks and Middlesex, and the squill (Scilla autumna/is) from the latter county, where it is 

 nearly if not quite extinct. The spiked star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum pyrenaicum), plentiful 

 in some woods in Berkshire and which is reported very locally from Beds, is unlikely to occur. 

 The martagon lily (Lilium Martagon\ thoroughly naturalized in Berks, is too conspicuous 

 to be overlooked. The yellow star of Bethlehem (Gagea fascicu/aris) may be found in some 

 of the woods in the north of the county. 



The maritime plants Buda media, Juncus Gerardi, Eleocharis uniglumis, Scirpus maritimus, 

 Zannichellia pedunculata, found in Berks, and Scirpus maritimus, S. glaucus, S. triqueter and 

 S. carinatus are not probable constituents of our flora. The small bur reed (Sparganium mint- 

 mum) found in Herts is also absent, but the smallest flowering plant, Wolffia Michelii or Horke- 

 lia arrhiza will very likely be found, as it grows at Staines not far from our boundary. The 

 Loddon pondweed (Potamogeton Drucei) is, so far as we know, limited to a portion of that 

 charming stream in Berkshire ; but P. decipiens, once found in Oxon, P. coloratus, which 



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