308 



The Flora of Wiltshire. [No. VI. cont.~\ 



1. E. cicutarium, (Sm.) hemlock (cicuta, Lat.) leaved Stork's-bill, 

 though the true hemlock is " conium maculatum." Engl. Bot. t. 

 1768. 



Locality. Banks and fields, on dry gravel, sand or chalk. A. Fl. 

 June, September. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. * 



South Division. 



1. South-east District, " Sandy parts of Clarendon wood, and of 

 Alderbury Common." Dr. Maton, and Mr. James Hassey. 



2. South- Middle District, Fields near Erlestoke. 



3. South-west District, "near Corsley," Miss Griffith. 



North Division. 



4. North-west District, " Malmesbury/'ilfr. Hull. " Chippenham/' 

 Dr. Alexander Prior. " Gravelly cornfields at Bromham," Miss 

 Meredith. Sandy fields at Spye Park, Sandridge and South Wrax- 

 hall. 



Not very common in any of the Districts. This species can 

 scarcely be absent in District 5, although I have seen no examples 

 as yet from this part of the county. 



The structure of the seed vessel in this genus (Erodium) should 

 be attentively examined by the student as affording a beautiful and 

 striking instance of evident design. The seeds surrounding the pistil 

 at its base are each of them covered with a distinct and separate coat, 

 which runs out into the form of a narrow appendage or tail, to the 

 extremity of the style with which it is slightly connected along the 

 whole length, and which has five grooves to receive the five seeds with 

 their appendages. Each of these appendages has the remarkable pro- 

 perty of contracting itself into a right line when moist. In short it is 

 a spiral spring which lengthens and contracts itself alternately, and 

 in proportion to the degree of moisture or dryness to which it is 

 exposed. This power first exerts itself when the seed and its 

 appendages are arrived at maturity, and in consequence of which 

 it is soon disengaged from the parent plant. The power of con- 

 traction and dilatation still continue according to the changes of 

 the atmosphere, and the seed is kept continually in motion till it is 

 either destroyed by the vicissitudes of the season, or meets with 

 some crevice in the earth into which it can easily insinuate itself. 



