196 



The Flora of Wiltshire. 



For this reason no doubt wo have several other plants that in 

 different places go by the name of Cuckoo-flower. Gerarde says 

 Cardamine pralensis, is the true Cuckoo-flower. Shukspcare's 

 Cuckoo-buds are of "yellow hue," and are probably Ranunculus or 

 Crow-foot. By some the Orchis, Arum, and Oxalis, or Wood-sorrel 

 are all called after the Cuckoo. Some interesting observations 

 respecting the coincidence of the flowering of particular plants, and 

 the arrival of certain birds of passage may be seen in Stillingfleet's 

 " Tracts relating to Natural History," &c. Fourth Edition, p. 148> 

 and " Loudon's Mag. of Natural History," vol. iii. p. 17. 



2. L. diurna, (Sibth.) Day-flowering, Red Campion. The English 

 Campion so called from Campus, (Lat.) or the French Champ. 

 Engl. Bot. t. 1579. Reich. Icones, vi. 304. St. 238. L. dioica. a. 

 (Linn.) 



Locality. Damp hedge banks, and in moist or shaded situations. 

 Common. B. (?) Fl. June, September. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 

 Generally distributed throughout the county, less frequent in the 

 Southern or chalky Districts, preferring rather moist situations par- 

 ticularly where the subsoil is clay or gravel. Linnseus confounded 

 this with the following species under his " L. dioica," but though 

 mutually deficient in the development of their floral organs, the 

 same plant rarely perfecting both stamens and pistils, such is the 

 difference of their habit that independent of colour they would 

 scarcely be associated by the most indifferent observer. 



3. L. vespertina, (Sibth.) Evening flowering, White Campion. 

 Engl. Bot. t. 1580. Reich. Icones, vi. 304. St. 239. L. dioica, 

 £ (Linn.) 



Locality. Hedge banks, cultivated ground, borders of fields and 

 amongst corn. Very frequent. B. (?) Fl. June, September. Area, 

 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. General in all the Districts. A more robust plant 

 than the preceding species, with larger white or pale blush 

 coloured flowers, diffusing towards evening and at the approach of 

 rain an agreeable fragrance, which is never perceptible in those of 

 L. diurna, (Sibth.) Well distinguished by the leaves being of a 

 denser substance and more lanceolate than ovate, by its conical not 

 globular capsule, with erect not reflexed teeth. It seems to prefer 



