145 
VICIA LUTEA AND OTHER RARE PLANTS 
NEAR WORKINGTON, CUMBERLAND. 
WILLIAM HODGSON, A.I.5., 
Workington. 
Asour the middle of June last, I was one day taking a stroll along 
the left or southern bank of the River Derwent, about two miles 
above this town, when I noticed some peculiar looking vegetation 
upon a gravel-bed of considerable extent, which I resolved to 
examine. Quitting the path, and entering upon my task at the 
lower end of the gravel, the first plant that fell in my way was a 
very dwarfed specimen of Vicia /utea, a species heretofore of very 
rare occurrence in Cumberland, and not recognised as native here. ° 
The only records for the county, as far as my information extends, 
are confined to the following, viz., in the manuscript drawings. of the 
late Mr. John Rooke, artist, of Whitehaven, now in the possession 
of Mr. J. C. Brown, J.P., of Hazel Holm, by whom they were 
purchased from Mr. Rooke’s executors, is a figured example marked 
‘ Keswick,’ as indicating the locality where gathered. More recently 
specimens have been found on the ballast heaps at Silloth by 
Miss E. J. Glaister, of Skinburness House, Dr. Leitch, of Silloth, 
and I believe also by Rev. Hilderic Friend, formerly of Carlisle. 
These last were most likely sea-brought among grain cargoes, or 
from the sweepings of ships’ holds. Proceeding farther along the 
gravel-bank, I observed from thirty to forty plants, all, with a solitary 
exception, stunted from exposure and want of sufficient nutriment. 
The next species observed, also very diminutive, were specimens of 
Vicia faba (bean), some in flower and others in fruit, confined in the 
case of the latter to a solitary pod. Few of these plants attained to 
a height of six inches, and one very dwarf example, with a single 
fully developed flower, is barely an inch high. Probably a dozen 
plants were observed. 
May 1897. 
