THE FLORA OF BRISTOL 235 



here placed as an alien or denizen, looks indigenous by stream-sides 

 about Cole and Bruton, further to the south-east of the county — 

 " would be more correctly classed as S, fluviatilis Wallr. = S. 

 salicetoritm, Godr. Fl. France ; Linneus' S. saracenicus = S. Fuchsii 

 Gmelin, is another plant with a different mode of growth, and 

 quite other habitats, frequenting moist places in woods and wood- 

 borders in alpine districts up to the limit of trees, say 5-6000 feet." 

 It is by no means true that Arbutus at Killarney " never exceeds 

 the height of 8-10 feet " ; 20-25 feet would be nearer the mark ! 

 Gentiana campestris is rightly excluded ; in the southern chalk 

 districts it has been confused with G. lingulata var. prcECox, and 

 Briggs's Plymouth plant was probably G. haltica. Bumex acutus 

 has a specific number, although it is " said to be the hybrid 

 B. ohtusifolius x crisjms " ; as, indeed, most people agree in 

 thinking. 



Mr. White writes of Castanea sativa as " a doubtful native, 

 no doubt usually planted ; but we see it flourishing in our 

 aboriginal woods, where it may have existed from time im- 

 memorial . . . there are certainly woods in the neighbourhood 

 of Bristol where seedling chestnuts, sprung from chance-sown 

 seeds, can readily be found." Carpinus Betuhcs he thinks certainly 

 native in Leigh Woods, and apparently so in some other places ; 

 this may well be right, although south-east England is its British 

 headquarters. Pinus sylvestris, being decidedly calcifuge, at least 

 in Scotland, was most probably planted on the oohte hill-tops 

 near Bath ; but the peat of Walton Moor, near Clevedon, may 

 be a natural habitat. Mr. White consistently says of Lilium 

 Martagon : — " I am inclined to accept the high probability of this 

 fine species being indigenous in some at least of its localities. It 

 is well known in other parts of the two counties — Tidenham Chase, 

 the Forest of Dean, &c. — and is likely to be even more frequent 

 than at present appears ; for it grows usually in old woods 

 amongst a thick undergrowth which might easily conceal it, 

 even when in flower, from the casual passer-by." 



With regard to Allium Ampeloprasum, the author suggests 

 that "it does not appear to differ specifically from A. Porricvi," 

 but this is quite contrary to the reviewer's experience ; the first- 

 named is a much taller plant, often five feet high in unmanured 

 garden soil, and very different from the cultivated Leek, both in 

 foliage and floral characters. It has been stated, we believe, that 

 Newton observed it on the Flat Holm (not Steep Holm — it still 

 flourishes on both islets) ; and no evidence of its having been 

 grown for food is adduced. Mr. White, however, it is only fair to 

 add, allows that "together with Peony, this has been assumed, 

 perhaps too rashly, to be an ' introduction.' " An extract here 

 given from an old manorial account book seems to prove its 

 presence on Steep Holm quite early in the seventeenth century ; 

 and Professor Trow, in the Flora of Glamorgan, p. 153, says : — 

 " Storrie's experiments prove that the wild plant differs much in 

 flavour from the types cultivated in gardens." Lcmna polyrrJiiza 

 was seen in flotver near Wedmore (in 1906) by Mrs. Gregory and 



