244 Botany. 



nately far from plentiful there now. There has been much 

 controversy as to whether this interesting plant is indigenous 

 here. Although so eminent an authority as the late Mr. H. 

 C. Watson described it as " an alien or denizen," and it has 

 been suggested that it " may have escaped from the neigh- 

 bouring grounds of the Prior of Bath, or from the Physic 

 - Gardens of the herbalists of this city," there is something to 

 be said against the accuracy of this theory. It must be 

 borne in mind that Lobel, writing more than 300 years ago, 

 speaks of this plant, as he does of other wild plants of the 

 neighbourhood, as growing plentifully in Coltes' wood. Mr. 

 Blomefield, referring to the escape theory, observes "Though 

 this might have been the case with the plants growing in the 

 station in the lane near the town, it seems hardly likely with 

 respect to those on the Down, which is so much further off." 

 Mr. Blomefield has informed the writer that he and the late 

 Mr. C. E. Broome found this plant growing plentifully in 

 the wood named, some twenty years ago, and he further 

 observed that the scarcity or otherwise of its appearance in 

 this wood depended very much, in his experience, on the 

 condition of the underwood. With reference to Lysimachia 

 thyrsiflora, Mr. Blomefield observes " With regard to Lysi- 

 machia, Professor Babington is of opinion, that it was origin- 

 ally planted by some cultivator of rare species ; but without 

 further evidence of this, the improbability of its having been 

 brought, as it must have been, from a considerable distance 

 to be set in a pond, not in a private garden, but in an open 

 field remote from the City, is against such a supposition. 

 Whatever may have been its origin, it is perfectly naturalised 

 there now, though, perhaps from the effect of dry seasons, 

 there has been very little seen, as I am informed, the last 

 two or three years." 



