BOTANY 



district where it grows it entirely replaces the primrose and is even more 

 abundant. On the borders of the district, which in some parts divides 

 woods into two portions, there is usually a narrow belt of country which 

 is occupied by hybrids between the primrose and the true oxlip. Mr. 

 Miller Christy suggests that the primrose, which is the more hardy 

 plant, is gradually destroying the oxlip by hybridization and replacing 

 it. I have visited the oxlip country upon several occasions with Mr. 

 Miller Christy, and think that there is much to support his view. It 

 will be interesting if botanists of a later period note the boundary" line 

 between the oxlip and the primrose country, and observe whether the 

 habitat of the former has been reduced. Mr. Miller Christy gives a 

 carefully prepared map of the oxlip country in his paper. 1 The oxlip is 

 confined to the boulder clay. 



Another interesting plant of Essex is the sea holly (Eryngium mari- 

 timum). A candy was prepared from the roots of this plant for which 

 the town of Colchester was formerly celebrated, and in the chamber- 

 lain's accounts for the borough items frequently appear for purchasing 

 the roots to present to royal and other distinguished persons. It was 

 first prepared by one Robert Buxton, an alderman of the borough, during 

 the Civil War, and its manufacture was continued down to some forty 

 years ago. 1 



The coast flora of Essex presents points of interest and should afford 

 opportunities for scientific work to our county naturalists. The climatic 

 conditions and the nature of the soil is rendered quite different from 

 the climate and the soil of the inland portions of the county by the 

 presence of salt, and consequently the character of the flora is quite 

 distinctive. A thorough investigation of the variation of the coast 

 plants and of their nearest allies growing inland would, I am sure, be 

 profitable. 



The action of the salt water and atmosphere favours those plants 

 known to botanists as xerophytes, as it reduces the amount of transpira- 

 tion. Hence there is a similarity between the coast flora and that of 

 rocky or dry situations ; but in the one case we have an abundance of 

 water under conditions which reduce the amount of transpiration, in the 

 other we have at times a dearth of water, and consequently those plants 

 thrive which retain the water in their tissues. We find therefore that 

 whilst the plants which favour our coast line are similar in character to 

 those which we find in dry and rocky inland situations, yet they show 

 distinct variations from the latter and are known as halophytes. 



On our sandy shores Silene maritima frequently occurs ; it is con- 

 sidered by some a mere variety of S. Cucubalus, the latter growing in 

 sandy and chalky situations ; thus we have two very near relations both 

 having the characters of xerophytes, but one confined to the coast and 

 the other to the inland districts of the county ; but strange as it may 



1 The Primula elatior in Great Britain,' Journal of the Ltnnxan Society, 1 897. 

 A full account of this manufacture will be found in the Eiiex Naturalist, 'Report on the Flower- 

 ing Plants of Essex,' J. C. Shenstone, February, 1897. 



39 



