316 23. LEGUMINOS.E. 



It is doubtful whether the estimate of 50 or that of 60 

 counties would be nearest truth ; at present, there are not 

 recorded localities for so many as 50. But as this is a 

 plant whose habitats occur chiefly in the northern and 

 western provinces, for which we have the least complete 

 local lists, I have thought that 50 would be too low an es- 

 timate. 



297. ViciA Cracca, Linn. 



Area, general. 



South limit in Cornwall, Isle of Wight, Kent. 



North limit in Shetland, Orkney, Hebrides. 



Estimate of provinces 18. Estimate of counties 82. 



Latitude 50 — 61. British type of distribution. 



A. A. regions. Inferagrarian — Midarctic zones. 



Descends to the coast level, in the Peninsula. 



Ascends to 800 yards, in the East Highlands. 



Range of mean annual temperature 51 — ^38. 



Native. Septal, &c. In hedge-rows and copses at a 

 moderate elevation, but above the midagvarian zone it be- 

 comes a plant of the moors and pastures, producing short 

 racemes of deeper coloured flowers, and ceasing to be a 

 climber in such situations. I have, however, seen climbing 

 plants of this species, with long racemes of numerous pale 

 (almost white) flowers, at 350 yards of altitude, in Aber- 

 deenshire ; though I suspected these to have been intro- 

 duced with agricultural seeds. Very rare above the 

 agrarian region ; but occurs with the Astragalus alpinus 

 on Little Craigandall. 



