198 



The Flora of Wiltshire. 



a small tree. Leaves obovate, or orbicular. Male catkins drooping, 

 about 2 inches long. Female flowers in ovoid buds. Stigmas bright 

 crimson. After flowering the minute inner bracts enlarge very 

 rapidly, so as to form the leafy involucre, commonly called the husk 

 of the nut. 



Carpinus, (Linn.) Hornbeam. 

 Linn. CI. xxi. Ord. vii. 



Named from car, wood, and pin, a head, in Celtic ; the wood 

 having been employed to make yokes for oxen. The English "horn- 

 bea?n 3 ' has the same signification. 



1. C. betulus, (Linn.) common Hornbeam. Fngl, Bot. t. 2032. 



Locality. In woods and hedges, on a meagre, damp, tenaceous 

 soil. Tree Fl. May. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In all the Districts, but 

 perhaps not truly wild. Rather a small tree, with somewhat the 

 habit of an elm. Leaves stalked, ovate, acute, of which the veins 

 are somewhat hairy, and which are beautifully plaited when young. 

 Male catkins sessile, about 1^ inches long Female catkins slender, 

 the fruiting ones often several inches long, and conspicuous for their 

 long, leaf-like bracts. Nut small, ovoid, with prominent ribs. The 

 wood of this tree is very tough and hard, and applicable to various 

 purposes, it is much employed in the county in the construction of 

 agricultural implements. 



ORDER CONIFERS. 

 Taxus, (Linn.) Yew. 

 Linn. CI. xii. Ord. vi. (Juss.) 

 Name. From toxon, Gr., a bow; it being long celebrated as the 

 best material for making those formidable implements. 



1. T. baccata, (Linn.) berried Yew. Common Yew. Fngl. Bot. 

 t. 746. 



Locality. Mountainous woods, and limestone cliffs. Tree Fl. 



March, April. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In all the Districts apparently 



indigenous?- though having been much planted in early times. A 



1 " Eugh- trees grow wild about Winterslow. Between Knighton Ashes and 

 Downton the ground produces them all along ; but at Newton they are a wood. 

 At Ewbridge in the parish of Colern, in North Wilts, they also grow indifferently 

 plentifull ; and in the parish of Kington St. Michael, I remember three or four 

 in the stone brash and red earth," — Aubrey, Nat. Mist. Wilts, 



