SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 79 



on the hills of Queensferry, "but seems confined 

 to that part only of the neighbourhood. It grows 

 also in Suffolk and Sussex, and on some Scottish 

 shores. Then, too, the smooth-podded Vetch ( Vicia 

 Icevigata], with its pale blue or whitish flowers, 

 has a liking to the sea, and blooms in July and 

 August on the pebbly shore of Weymouth in 

 Dorsetshire; and the rare rough-podded purple 

 Vetch ( Vicia Bithynica) , with its pale purple wings, 

 is to be searched for in maritime spots, as it grows 

 there more often than elsewhere. 



Every one has rejoiced in his country walks at 

 the sweet scent of the clovers or trefoils of our 

 meadows, and the bees rejoice over them too. 

 Our purple sweet-scented clover does not send up 

 its odour mingled with that of the salt wave, but 

 large patches of the white or Dutch clover (the 

 Irish shamrock), lie upon the beach ; not because 

 this clover thrives best near the sea, but because 

 it is hardy enough to thrive anywhere. We have 

 besides trefoils peculiar to the coast, and such as 

 may properly be called maritime species, but they 

 are not very frequent flowers. The Teasel-headed 

 Trefoil (Trifolium maritimum] is found in June and 

 July in salt marshes on the eastern and southern 

 shores of England. It is of a pale reddish purple 

 colour. On the sea-coast of Sussex, between 

 Shoreham harbour and the sea, the very beautiful 

 species called the Starry-headed Trefoil (Trifolium 

 stellatum] is said by Sir William Hooker to grow 

 in great abundance. It is a singular and elegant 

 species, with long calyces or flower-cups, and while 

 young the small cream-coloured flowers are almost 

 hid among their straight bristly teeth, till becoming 

 larger they open into a beautiful starry shape, 



