56 



Report of the Byfleet Field Meeting, July 19th, 1902. 



By E. Step, F.L.S. Read September wth, 1902. 



The unpropitious weather that has characterised most of the field 

 meetings during 1902 again prevailed during the latter part of the 

 afternoon of July 19th, and somewhat marred the success of the 

 meeting. A few of the members who went by a morning train were 

 more fortunate, and had the pleasure of the long canal-side ramble 

 from Woking station in bright sunshine. To these early birds also 

 fell most of the worms, though some of the afternoon party made 

 good use of their time. The date selected was probably the very 

 best in the whole year from the point of view of the botanist, from 

 the fact that the majority of waterside plants were then in flower. 



Between Woking and Maybury Bridge several examples of the fine 

 flowering rush [Bufo/in/s umbellatus) were observed ; the great water- 

 dock {Rumex hydrolapathum) was also in flower, and a few feet from 

 the water was found the bog asphodel {Nartheciiini ossifragum), with 

 a fine specimen of the tway blade {Listera ovata), and plenty of the 

 meadow plume-thistle {Cnicus pratensis). The canal overflow, known 

 as the Flash, was almost dry, and covered with an abundance of the 

 marsh bedstraw {^Galium palustre), upon which Mr. Enock took no 

 fewer than thirteen larvae of Chcerocampa elpenor. Most of these 

 turned out to be very fine — 3I of an inch long and f in diameter 

 when full grown, — and all were green in colour. The sulphurwort 

 water-dropwort {CEnatithe peucedanifolia) was also conspicuous here, 

 with the branched bur-reed {Sparganiitm ramosu??i) and the purple 

 loose-strife {Ly thrum salicaria). 



From ]\Iaybury Bridge to Byfleet the meadow-sweet {Spima 

 ulmaria) was the most conspicuous waterside flower, and with it we 

 noticed the forget-me-not {Myosotis pa/ttstris), the sweet flag [Acorns 

 calamus), arrow-head {Sagittaria sagiitifolia), and the two water-plan- 

 tains {Aiisma plantago and A. ra7iunctiloides). The yellow water-lily 

 {Nuphar luteum) was in flower, and specially abundant where the canal 

 broadens as it passes through the woods. The woods were ablaze 

 with the bright rosy blossoms of the willow-herb [Epilobium atigusti- 

 foliu?n). In swampy places at Byfleet the great valerian ( Valeriana 

 officinalis) was very fine, several clumps being noted that were at 

 least six feet in height. Other plants noticed in flower were — ragged 

 robin {Lychtiis Jlos-cuculi), white cdSiv^\on Lychnis vespertina), small 

 stitchwort {Stellaria gratninea), petty-whin {Genista anglica), meadow 

 vetchling {Lathyrus pratensis), hemp agrimony {Eupatorium canna- 

 binnm), yarrow {Achillea ptar?nica), tansy {Tanacetum vulgare), cat's- 



