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CONTRIBUTIONS TO A CORNISH FLORA. 



By FRED. HAMIIvTON DAVEY. 



Since preparing the paper which I read in this room twelve 

 months ago, wherein were recorded several important additions 

 to the flora of Cornwall, a deal of really serious work has been 

 going on. While attention has been given chiefly to that portion 

 of the county lying between Looe and Mainporth, on the south 

 coast, and between Bedruthan Steps and Hayle, on the north, 

 profitable search lias been made in other districts, and valuable 

 lists, with voucher specimens of the more critical species, have 

 been received from the many correspondents who have 

 volunteered assistance in the scheme for elucidating one of the 

 most puzzling sections of the British flora. As a result, I am 

 able to offer you to-day information calculated not only to 

 interest Cornish folk, who are ever glad to hear something new 

 and pleasing about their own county, but, by virtue of its 

 valuable bearing on the great problems relating to the 

 geographical distribution of plants, of considerable importance 

 to botanists everywhere. 



Botanically, it can now be claimed for Cornwall that it 

 contains a larger number of species and more specialities than 

 any other county of equal size. Including the additions which 

 I shall submit to-day, there are, or have been found, in the 

 county 1,251 kinds of flowering-plants, ferns, and charas, or just 

 707 short of the total number recorded for Great Britain, Ireland, 

 and the Channel Islands. When it is remembered that Norfolk, 

 with its extensive "Broads" and "Fens," so favourable to 

 paludal plants, has only 1,164 plants, and Berkshire, with its 

 calcicole flora, only 1,208, it will be seent> what extent Cornwall 

 has these and several other counties at a disadvantage. It is 

 further worthy of note, as showing the insular character of its 

 vegetation, that Cornwall has sixteen species which are not 

 known to occur in any other part of the British Isles. 



Side by side with the field work which has enlarged our 

 knowledge of the flora of Cornwall, thanks to the facilities 



