212 



FLORA OP TlfB BKISTOL COAL-FIELD. 



ings of the plant at Keynsliam, wo have no doubt 

 wliafccvcr that Moonchia did formerly grow on 

 Brandon Hill, the other station mentioned by him. 

 It may indeed lurk there still, though we fear it 

 haw boon trampled out of existence. 



There are some intei'esting facts connected witJi tJiu 

 species found in association with the Mvenchia. 

 They are all scarce plants in the vicinity of Bristol, 

 to bo found for the most part in small quantities in 

 a very few places, and on the same geological 

 formation. But whether on Brandon Hill, at 

 Clevodon, at Mangotsfield, or in the Keynshani 

 locality, they are ever companions, sharing in 

 fellowship the barren and scanty soil upon which 

 alone they seem able to maintain themselves. It 

 may be that those plants are too weak and tiny to 

 exist among more robust vegetation, and that the 

 force of species competition is powerful in restrict- 

 ing them to the spots they occupy. It certainly 

 does not appear that dry and sterile liabitats are 

 those best saited for tlio growth of the phiiits 

 in ([uestion. Wo have seen Scleranthus annuua 

 flourishing most luxuriantly as a weed on culti- 

 vated land, where it was taking full advantage of 

 depth of soil arul elbow-room, liut when at lai'ge 

 in the world, and loft without favour to cany on 

 an unequal competition with the crowd of lai'gcn' 

 species, the result in our experience is that it l)0- 

 comea banished to spots bare of, or unsuitod to, 

 most other phanerogams. 



Scleranthus armuus, L., ' in Somerset. On the coal- 

 measures near Koynaliam ; not very plentiful. See 

 page ■]'■'>. 



