THE MARITIME PLANTS AND TIDAL RIVERS 

 OF THE WEST RIDING. 



By H. Franklin Parsons, M.D., Goole. 



(Read before the Goole Scientific Society, Novemher IQth, 1875J 



Although the West Riding of Yorkshire cannot boast of the 

 possession of any sea-coast, yet nevertheless several sea-shore plants 

 creep up the banks of the Hnmber estuary and of the great tidal 

 rivers vrhich join it, and gain a footing in our local flora. The names 

 of those which I have observed are — Spergularia marina, var. media ; 

 Apium graveolens, Aster Tripoliiim and var. discoideus^ Glaux maritima^ 

 Samolus Valerandi, Tlantago marilima^ P. Corono'pus, Rimex maritimus, 

 Zannichellia pedicellata, Juncus Gerardi,, Scirpus maritimus, Sclerocliloa 

 maritima, S. distans. 



The above-mentioned littoral plants, all of which are undoubtedly 

 natives of this district, are, as one would have supposed, such as love 

 muddy shores and brackish marshes rather than sandy or rocky 

 coasts. Several of them, indeed, — as Plantago Goronopiis, Apium, 

 graveolens, Samolus Valerandi^ and SclerocMoa distans, are occasionally 

 found inland, although even then generally in places so little elevated 

 that a moderate depression of the land would bring it within reach of 

 the sea. It would perhaps be more correct to call them " plants 

 which prefer the neighbourhood of the sea," than " sea plants." 

 Curiously enough, however, there are certain sea plants which re- 

 appear inland at a certain height on mountains, e. g. Armeria maritima, 

 CocJilearia, and Silene mm^itima. It has been supposed that these 

 sea plants in alpine stations are relics of that great submersion of 

 the surface which is l^nown to have taken place during the glacial 

 epoch, when beds containing shells of existing species were deposited 

 on some of the Welsh mountains at a height of 1600 feet above the 

 present sea level ; and that, by some physiological peculiarities giving 

 them an advantage in the struggle for existence over other lowland 

 plants under alpine as well as under maritime conditions, they have 

 been enabled to maintain their ground. The littoral plants found in 

 the' West Riding belong mostly to the British type of distribution — 

 that is to say, they are such as are generally met with all roimd the 

 coasts of Great Britain; one or two are of southern, but more of 

 N, S. Vol .l— Mar., 1876. 



