386 FLORA OF OXFORDSHIRE. 
In the rather barren time which followed, the only botanist to add to 
the Oxford Flora was Blackstone, of whom very little is known. He lived 
in London, having been apprenticed to an Apothecary, and visited Oxford- 
shire about 1736, probably staying at Walcote near Charlbury. Here 
he made many interesting discoveries the MS. list of which is preserved 
in Herb. Sloane, vol. 317. These the Rev. W. Newbould has kindly 
transcribed for me. The additions made by Blackstone are Veronica 
montana, Salia pentandra, Valeriana officinalis, Iris fetidissima, Carex 
remota, C. pallescens, C. flava, C. vulgaris, Aira pracox, Melica 
uniflora, Lithospermum officinale, Sanguisorba officinalis, Atropa, Vibur- 
num Lantana, Allium ursinum, Stellaria Holostea, Nepeta Cataria, 
Pedicularis palustris, Anthyllis Vulneraria, Moenchia, Alchemilla 
arvensis, Specularia hybrida, Rhamnus catharticus. In1746 he published 
his Specimen Botanicum which consists of the original localities in various 
counties of over 360 species of plants. Besides the addition to our county 
already quoted, this book gives Oxfordshire localities for the first time of 
the following plants—Aquilegia, Arabis hirsuta, Thlaspi arvense, Alsine 
tenuifolia, Sagina nodosa, Lathyrus Aphaca, Spirea Filipendula, Cir- 
sium ertophorum C. acaule, Nepeta Glechoma var., and Avena pubescens. 
Specimens of Anemone Pulsatilla collected by Blackstone are contained 
in the Dillenian Herbarium. His own herbarium is now in the British 
Museum. Blackstone died in1753. There are two letters of his published 
in the Richardson correspondence, one giving an account of the first 
discovery of Dentaria bulbifera as a British plant. The genus Blackstonia 
was named after him by Hudson and might well be revived. There is a 
print in the Hope Collection of three Botanists, one of whom is Wm. Curtis, 
author of Flora Lond., the second being Blackstone and said to be a good 
likeness of him. It is the only portrait of him in existence. 
John Lightfoot, born in 1735, was educated at Oxford, where he took 
his M.A. degree and entered Holy Orders, becoming chaplain to the Dowager 
Duchess of Portland. He was recommended to this ‘intelligent admirer 
and patron of Natural History in General’ by his taste for Botany, and 
Conchology, as well as by his courtly manners. By her grace’s influence 
he obtained the Rectory of Gotham, in Notts, and subsequently the living 
of Cowley, in Middlesex. In 1772 Mr. Pennant invited Lightfoot to 
accompany him on his second tour through Scotland and the Hebrides, 
advising him to make a compilation of a Flora Scotica, and offering to 
defray the expenses of publishing. This kind offer was accepted by 
Lightfoot. He received great help from Scotch Botanists, who placed 
their knowledge of localities, and their herbaria at his disposal. Sir 
Joseph Banks and Dr. Solander assisted him in identifying the plants 
collected. Oxford was visited by him in order to compare his Mosses, etc., 
with the type specimens of Dillenius. The Flora Scotica was published in 
1777. For some years Lightfoot was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and 
waa one of the original members of the Linnean Society. He died at 
