THE WILD ROSES OF DURHAM. 
J. W. HESLOP HARRISON. B.Sc. 
Middlesbrough. 
THE necessity of working out the Wild Roses of Durham and 
Northumberland, occasioned by the compilation of a ‘ card 
index’ of the flora and fauna of the two counties, has led to 
the present paper. It has been deemed advisable to divide 
Durham into certain areas, a table of which is given here as it 
is made use of in the list of roses. 
As far as possible, the divisions chosen are natural ones, 
based on geological or geographical features, or both, and it is 
clear that any such divisions will depend greatly on the three 
drainage areas of the county. The divisions proposed are :— 
I. TYNELAND SouTH—Divided by the water-parting between 
the Team and Derwent into (a) Tyneland south proper 
(b) the Vale of Derwent as far west as Edmondbyers. 
Il. UpPpER WEARDALE—Comprising all the Wear Valley west 
of Wolsingham with that part of the Vale of Derwent 
west of Edmondbyers. 
‘Til. Mip WeAR—Including all the rest of the Wear Drainage, 
except the Magnesian Limestone Area. 
TV. CoastLanp—Coinciding with the Magnesian Limestone 
minus the wedge which strikes toward the Tees west 
of the Skerne. 
V. Upper TEESDALE—The Tees Drainage west of Egglestone. 
VI. Mip TEEs—The Millstone Grit and Magnesian Limestone 
formation between Coniscliffe and Egglestone. 
VII. Lower TrEEs—The Tees Drainage from Coniscliffe to 
the mouth of the river. 
The Rose Flora of Durham appears to be, on the whole, a 
very rich one, but one which almost baffles any geographical 
classification. 
It is certain, of course, that the Eucanine group is dominant 
everywhere except on the sea coast where Rosa spinosissima 
is the commonest form, and possibly at certain points in Upper 
Weardale and the Vale of Derwent where the Villose group 
runs it very closely. Elsewhere, the Villosze are widespread, 
occurring very sparsely in Tyneland South proper and Lower 
- Tees, but gradually becoming more abundant in Coastland, 
and as we proceed westward. How much this apparent 
scarcity of the Villosz in the industrial areas is real, and how 
much artificial, it is difficult to say, but, of the two species 
which stand for the group in Baker and Tate (1868) Rosa 
mollisima Fr. and R. tomentosa Sm., their remark is ‘ common.’ 
Increasing population may be the cause of the apparent change 
1916 Jan. 1. 
