BOTANY 



At Wytham there is a bush of R. agrestis, Savi., and in the Loddon 

 district R. sty/osa, Desv., is rather common as the var. systy/a, Bast., 

 and is often a very beautiful plant. The sweet briar (R. Eglanteria, L.) 

 is more frequent on the chalk, and it is curious to note that while the 

 clays and chalk yield a curiously unvarying bramble flora, yet on these 

 formations we meet with most variation in the roses. jR. obtusifolia and 

 its variety tomentella are somewhat widely distributed, and many forms 

 grouped under R. verticil lacantba are found. Near Winkfield I saw a 

 plant of R. Deseglisei, which I have placed as a variety of R. sarmentacea, 

 Woods. I am under great indebtedness to M. Crepin for kindly examin- 

 ing my roses. 



THE VASCULAR CRYPTOGAMS 



THE CLUBMOSSES (Lycopodiace*) 



The three recorded species (L. inundatum, L. Selago and L,. c/avatum 

 are all very local and the two latter very rare, and are confined to the 

 Bagshot sands of the Kennet and Loddon districts. 



THE HORSETAILS (Equisetum) 



Five species are found, and with the exception of E. sylvaticum, 

 absent from the Isis district, are widely distributed. E. maximum is a 

 handsome species and is especially fond of a wet, sheltered situation 

 at the base of a porous formation where the water is thrown out by 

 the clay at its juncture. A hybrid, E. litorale, should be sought for in the 

 neighbourhood of Sandhurst, as it occurs near our county in Surrey. 



THE PILLWORT (Marsiliacea) 



One species only is known as British, and this (Pilularia globulifera) 

 has a very restricted range with us, being confined to the Bagshot sands 

 near Sandhurst, but may easily be passed over from its small size and 

 place of growth. 



THE FERNS (Ft/ices) 



Although we have twenty species recorded, yet, with the exception 

 of the bracken, Berkshire is but poorly represented. Even such com- 

 mon ferns of the west of England as the hart's tongue, Scolopendrium 

 (Pbyllitis vu/garis), and Asplenium Trichomanes and A. Adiantum-nigrum are 

 scarce ; while our woodlands are being ravaged to such an extent that 

 Dryopteris montana (Lastrea Oreof ten's) has been extirpated from the Isis 

 and Ock districts. How long is this wholesale depredation of the roots 

 of plants to go on unchecked by legislation ? is a question the field 

 naturalist is asking. Three other species, Botrycbium, Osmunda and Tbe- 

 /yf ten's, are also being gradually exterminated. In one sheltered trench 

 on the Bagshot sands the beech fern (Phegopteris) still luxuriates. May 

 it long remain undetected by the marauder. 



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