A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



around the Lizard. In the north of the district, in the parish of Wendron and stretching 

 away through Mabe and Constantine, we make our last acquaintance with the Carnmenellis 

 Granite Boss. South of it a wide belt of Lower Silurian rocks extends right across the 

 peninsula from Porthleven to Nare Point. From the Manacles through the parishes of St. 

 Keverne, St. Martin, and Cury to Mullion, with but a slight break to the south of Mawgan, 

 there is a belt of varying breadth of micaceous slates, generally classed as Archaean. They 

 consist of gneissose rock, hornblende schist, gabbro, diabase, etc., and are said to be similar in 

 character to those forming the southern extremity of Devonshire between Bolt Tail and the 

 Start, and those on which the Eddystone lighthouse is built. The Lizard Head is made up 

 of the same rocks. Between Nare Point and Manaccan village there is a slight remnant of 

 Lower Devonian. The remainder of the peninsula is made up of serpentine and diallage, 

 the diallage occurring principally in the parish of St. Keverne. 



The Cober, rising on the moors near Carnmenellis, takes to the Loe Pool the greater 

 part of the drainage of the parish of Wendron. Its length is about 10 miles. A number of 

 streams, having their origin at different points on and around Goonhilly Downs and the 

 parishes of Wendron and Mabe, drain the remainder of the district. The lower Cober 

 Valley between Helston and the Loe Pool, and the several tidal valleys on the Helford river, 

 possess scenery of rare quality. Not less interesting in their own way is the extensive view 

 to be obtained from the summit of Carnmenellis, 8 1 8 feet above sea level, the wild grandeur 

 of the breezy Goonhilly Downs when heath and furze have enlivened the scene with their 

 flowers, and the rugged scenery of the precipitous coast. 



A brief paragraph or two will be sufficient to show why for so many years this part of 

 Cornwall has been the Mecca of British botanists. Mile for mile, it may be questioned 

 whether any other part of the British Isles contains so many rare indigenous plants. Here 

 only, for instance, have we Cornish records for the following species : Thalictrum dunense, T. 

 collinum, T. majus, T.Jlavum, Ranunculus heterophyllus,Silene conica, Arenaria vernavzr. Gerardi, 

 Vicia syhatica, Hypochceris maculata, Erytbrcea [capitatd] var. sphesrocephala, Gentiana baltica, 

 Orobanche Picridis, Rumex maritimus, Juniperus communis, Asparagus officinalis, Juncus pygm&us, 

 Sparganium neglectum, Lemna trisulca, Carex axillaris, Avena pratensis, Chara polyacantha, C. 

 baltica var. affinls. As stated earlier in this paper, Corrigiola littoralis must now be reckoned 

 among extinctions. 



To the British flora the district contributes the following, i.e. plants not occurring in 

 any other part of the British Isles : Cytisus scoparius var. prostratus, Trifolium Molinerii, T. 

 Bocconi, Herniaria ciliata, Nitella hyalina. 



Strong reasons can be furnished for excluding Herniaria glabra and Salvia Verbenaca var. 

 clandestina from the flora of this district. Plants in the British Museum and in the late 

 Professor Babington's herbarium labelled ' glabra ' certainly show nearer approach to H. ciliata 

 than to that species. The late Mr. J. Cunnack, who was thoroughly acquainted with the 

 botany of the Lizard, left a note which the writer has seen expressing doubt about the 

 identity of the plant. With regard to the Salvia, Dr. Syme was among the first to challenge 

 Cornish records. Without any qualification soever he says the specimens he had seen 

 from Cornwall were all referable to Verbenaca. Recently, at the writer's request, Mr. C. E. 

 Salmon of Reigate made a careful inspection of the specimens in Professor Babington's 

 herbarium, and while of opinion that they must be accepted as forms of Verbenaca, he was 

 perfectly satisfied that they were not emphatic enough for clandestina. 



Whether it be the higher moorlands in Wendron, the extensive downs which make up 

 such a large portion of the district, or the coast with its numerous valleys, they all contain a 

 rich assemblage of plants. On the granite moors Teesdalia nudicaulis, Ft/ago minima, Utricularia 

 minor, Pinguicula lusitanica, and Illecebrum verticillatum are common. The downs give miles 

 of Erica vagans and Spiraea Filipendula, and, among many other things, the following : Ranun- 

 culus heterophyllus, Viola lactea, Genista anglica, G. pilosa, G. tinctoria var. humifusa, Poterium 

 officinale, Microcala filiformis, Gentiana campestris, G. baltica, Littorella juncea, J-uniperus communis, 

 All'ium sibiricum, Juncus pygmieus y J, capitatus, and many of the Potamogetons, Carices, and 

 Cbaras mentioned in the list of species. Along the coast and up the inlets the diligent 

 observer will meet Thalictrum dunense, T. collinum, T. majus, T. flavum, Viola Curtisii, Silene 

 conica, S. noctiflora, Cerastium pumilum, Arenaria verna var. Gerardi, Geranium sanguineum, 

 Cytisus scoparius var. prostratus, Trifolium Molinerii, T. Bocconi, T. strictum, Lotus angustissimus, 

 L. hispidus, Vicia lutea, Filago apiculata, Inula Helenium, I. critbmoides, Hypochceris maculata, 

 Statice aurkuleefolia, Erythr&a [capitata~\ var. sphterocepbala, Orobancbe rubra, Herniaria ciliata, 

 Ruscus aculeatus, AHium Schcenoprasum, A. sibiricum, Scilla autumnalis, Cyperus longus. 



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