By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 



131 



Alchemilla, (Linn.) Lady's Mantle. 

 Linn. CI. iv. Ord. i. 



Name. Alkemelych, the Arabic name of one of the species, so 

 called from its pretended alchemical virtues. The English name 

 Lady's Mantle refers to the plaiting and regularity of the leaves 

 of A. vulgaris (Linn.) giving an appearance of a mantle, which 

 with the general elegance of the plant caused it to be dedicated to 

 the Virgin as " Our Lady's Mantle." 



1. A. vulgaris (Linn.) Common Lady's Mantle. Engl. Bot. 

 t. 597. 



Locality. In moist pastures and open places, in woods not 

 common. P. Fl. June, August. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 



South Wiltshire. 



1. South-east District, " Meadows at West Dean," Major Smith. 



2. South Middle District, Patney Meads near Devizes. 



3. South-west District, In plenty at the Great Ridge Wood. 

 " About Warminster," Messrs. Wheeler 8f Rowden. 



North Division. 



4. North-west District, Meadows between the " Old Horse and 

 Jockey," and South Wraxhall. "Near the Pond on Bowden 

 Hill," Dr. Alexander Prior. Spye Park. "Rudlow and Box," 

 Mr. C. E. Broome. 



5. North-cast District, "Marlborough," Rev. T. A. Preston. 

 " Great Bedwyn," Mr. William Bartlett. A more frequent plant 

 in the Northern than in the Southern districts of Wilts. " Of all 

 our Natives" Dr. Abbot considers this the most elegant plant. 

 Yarious circumstances often combine to attach a botanist to some 

 particular favourite. Haller was enamoured with " Astrantia 

 major," Linnaeus with " Trientalis europcea," and " Melampyrum 

 nemorosum." If I, (Sir James Smith) were to avow a similar 

 partiality it would be in favour of " Geum rivaled This is the 

 plant probably alluded to in " Camden* s Britannia " as growing at 

 Whiteparish (South-east District) under the name of " Stellaria " 

 vel " Sanicula major." 



2. A. arvensis (Linn.) field Lady's Mantle, Parsley Piert, 

 "Aphanes" (Linn.) Engl. Bot. t. 1011. 



