1858.] BOTANICAL SKETCHES FROM WILTS. 553 



From Aylesford village we scoured along the left bank of the 

 Medway, and had just time to look at the place where we saw 

 the rare Sonchus palustris last year. We did not see it this, 

 but hope it will again make its appearance near this at some 

 future time if not now. 



We reached the station and took a ride to Cuxton, and re- 

 freshed ourselves after having been out above twelve hours, a 

 good working day. What we saw and did at Cuxton may be the 

 subject of a future contribution. W. P. & A. I. 



BOTANICAL SKETCHES FROM WILTS. 



By the Rev. M. M. Atwood. . • 



On the 6th I joined a small party in a short excursion to the 

 Weevern Valley, a locality in Wilts, so named from the brook 

 which winds through the district, and is surrounded on both 

 sides by undulating woods. The site which we visited was a few 

 miles from Corsham, and appeared very productive in objects of 

 botanical interest, if we may judge from the very limited space 

 we examined ; and perhaps the enumeration of some of the rarer 

 plants may not be uninteresting. Orobanche mino?' was very 

 luxuriant in the clover-fields, rivalled by that of Ornithogalum 

 pyrenaicum amongst the corn. This stately and beautiful plant 

 appears peculiar to Wiltshire, and springs up in a variety of habi- 

 tats, such as woods, cornfields, and banks. Of the rarer Orchids, 

 we found Ophrys apifera, Habenaria viridis, and Orchis pyrami- 

 dalis J the latter seemed very plentiful. Fine plants of Poterium 

 Sanguisorba grew on the banks as we descended into the valley ; 

 but the season was too early for any show of fruit. Geranium/^ 

 pratense also appeared extremely luxuriant. In the vicinity of 

 the brook we gathered Carex hirta and C. paludosa in great per- 

 fection. Typha latifolia was abundant in a detached spot, its 

 stiff-looking spikes forming a striking contrast to the graceful 

 Scirpus sylvatica. But the most interesting local discovery was 

 made by Miss Buck, of Biddestone St. Peter's, viz. that of a / 

 very fine plant of Polemonium ccerideum ! It grew on a somewhat • ^'"f -' 

 bushy site of the bank, above the stream. We endeavoured to " ■"* ' 

 trace its origin, but could not arrive at any satisfactory conclu- 



N, S. VOL. II. 4 b 



