1857.] ANEMONE PULSATILLA, ETC. 215 



ANEMONE PULSATILLA, etc. 

 By Alexander G. More, F.L.S. 



Sir, — In reference to J. B.'s remarks upon Anemone Pulsatilla 

 and Astragalus hypoglottis (' Phytologist,^ vol. ii. p. 149,) I am 

 quite ready to admit that they were perhaps improperly classed 

 with other plants tliat might be expected to occur upon the chalk 

 downs of Kent, and that J. B. is probably quite correct in re- 

 ferring their absence from that district to a peculiarity in their 

 distribution. The few species mentioned in my paper (' Phyto- 

 logist,' New Series, vol. i. p. 292) for the sake of illustration, 

 were set down from memory and without any ' Cybele Britannica ' 

 at hand. 



That the two plants in question may be restricted in their 

 range by some condition of the soil is very possible, but I fear 

 J. B.'s explanation will not be sufficient, for I cannot agree with 

 him that the Anemone is confined, as he supposes, to a portion 

 only of the chalk. Are there not certain localities in Yorkshire 

 where it grows upon different limestones ? and is not the Glou- 

 cestershire habitat upon the oolite? Besides, J. B. is in direct 

 opposition to the author of the 'Cybele,^ who expressly says, 

 " On chalk downs and limestone ;" while the French Flora of 

 Grenier and Godron is content to indicate simply a preference for 

 " dry slopes J" As for Astragalus hypoglottis, the " sandy links" 

 of Northumberland and Durham, and several Scotch localities, 

 sufficiently disprove any exclusive partiality on its part for the 

 lower chalk. 



There is a somewhat similar instance of an interrupted area in 

 the range of Seslerea ccerulea, which, though occurring upon the 

 limestones of Yorkshire and the west of Ireland, and again upon 

 the chalky hills of Normandy, still fails between these two points 

 on our downs, though one might suppose their soil very well 

 suited to its growth : whether this be owing to deficiency of 

 moisture, to something in the hardness of the ground, or to 

 some accidental cause, is not easy to explain. Still, when we 

 find some of the best Continental authorities almost giving up 

 the chemical action of the soil in favour of its mechanical con- 

 sistency (whether easily disintegrated or not), does it not become 

 us to be all the more careful to avoid excess on the other side in 



