220 BOTANY OF SELBORNE. 



coppice, under some hazels near the foot-bridge, in Trimming's 

 garden hedge, and on the dry wall opposite Grange-yard : 



Dipsacus pilosus, small teasel, in the Short and Long Lith : 



Lathyrus sylvestris, narrow-leaved, or wild lathyrus, in the 

 bushes at the foot of the Short Lith, near the path : 



Ophrys spiralis, ladies' traces, in the Long Lith, and towards 

 the south corner of the common : 



Ophrys nidus avis, bird's-nest ophrys, in the Long Lith, 

 under the shady beeches among the dead leaves, in Great 

 Dorton among the bushes, and on the Hanger plentifully : 



Serapias latifolia, helleborine, in the Highwood under the 

 shady beeches : 



Daphne laureola, spurge laurel, in Selborne-hanger and 

 the High-wood: 



Daphne mezereum, the mezereon, in Selborne-hanger, 

 among the shrubs at the south-east end, above the cottages : 



Lycoperdon tuber, truffles, in the Hanger and High-wood : 



Sambucus ebulus, dwarf elder, walwort, or danewort, among 

 the rubbish and ruined foundations of the Priory. 



Of all the propensities of plants, none seem more strange 

 than their different periods of blossoming. Some produce 

 their flowers in the winter, or very first dawnings of spring ; 

 many when the spring is established ; some at midsummer, 

 and some not till autumn. When we see the helleborus fvetidus 

 and helleborus niger blowing at Christmas, the helleborus 

 hyemalis in January, and the helleborus viridis as soon as ever 

 it emerges out of the ground, we do not wonder, because they 

 are kindred plants that we expect should keep pace the one 

 with the other ; but other congenerous vegetables differ so 

 widely in their time of flowering, that we cannot but admire. 

 I shall only instance at present in the crocus sativus, * the 



* Two species are generally admitted by botanists, the crocus sativus 

 of Linnaeus, or saffron crocus, and the crocus vernus, the vernal crocus. 

 Besides good specific differences, these two plants are distinct in their 

 properties, the highly odoriferous stigmas of the crocus sativus alone 

 furnishing the saffron of commerce. The stigma of the crocus vernus is 

 inodorous. 



Tke similarity of climate and weather that characterizes vernal and 

 autumnal days, often produces, towards the latter end of September, a 

 vegetation vying with that of May in profusion and variety of tints. 



Many plants, generally considered as exclusively vernal, bloom a second 

 time. Of this, the vidce canina and odorata are striking examples ; and 

 the sweet gentiana verna, or spring gentian, often unfolds its azure 

 blossoms for the second time, late in October, studding the verdant sward 

 with a blue that rivals in intensity the ultramarine. ED. 



