EXC'UKSIONS, 1947. 
41 
Secondly, to examine the formerly celebrated Fen areas of East Kent, 
nowadays much neglected, to see what was left of their once rich fioia 
and vegetation. 
The weather was very warm and dry, and, although this made the 
excursion very [)leasant physically, the drought had caused many plants 
on the dry dune soils to finish flowering earlier than usual. In spite 
of this, a great many interesting plants were seen. There was an at- 
tendance of 23. 
Friday, September 5. 
On Friday evening, September 5th, a few members met the leader 
in the lounge of the Guildford Hotel, Sandwdeh Bay (the Headquar- 
ters for the Excursion), and the plans were explained to those present. 
Lists of species found in the area in the past, but not seen recently, 
were handed round, and also a list of interesting plants known to be 
still in the area. 
Saturday, September 6. 
On Saturday morning, September 6th, the members met outside the 
Guildford Hotel, and explored the dunes and shingle beach to the 
.south, towards Deal. The party then proceeded northwards some 3i 
miles along the sandy shore and its adjoining dunes, to the point, 
known as Shellness, at the mouth of the River Stour. The principal 
feature noted along the coast was the abundance of Eryugiiim rnari- 
timum and Euphorbia Faralias, now both rare plants in south-east Eng- 
land. Here, owing to the occui)ation of six miles of coast line by three 
extensive golf courses, the coastal vegetation has been protected from 
ruination b.v the bungalow or shack development so common elsewhere 
in this part of the English coast. Clematis Flarmiiula was seen 
naturalised in several spots on the dunes. Perhaps the most interest- 
ing plant noted, however, was Centaurium umbellatum, var. fasciculare,. 
It grew with typical C. uinheUutum , but was of markedly different ap- 
pearance. It was first noted by the leader of the excursion in 1946. 
and occurs here in some quantity. 
Shelluess itself, as the name suggests, consists of a numlier of 
“ hooks ” and spits bxiilt up largely of cockle shells. In between the 
spits are several strips of sandy saR-marsh, where Atriplex p^dunculata 
w’as sought, but not seen. Carex extensa was, however, very plentiful. 
On the way back to the Hotel, Jnncits acutus was observed in quan- 
tity in dune slacks, and some of the older fixed dunes bore small thickets 
of Hippophae Bhamnoides. Several interesting alien plants, such as 
Oenothera odorata, were seen in plenty locally. 
Sunday, September 7. 
On Sunday morning members met near Little Britain Farm, Wing- 
ham, to explore the area which, for want of a better name, has been 
called by botanists “ Wingham Fen.” 
A small area of rather dry but uncultivated fen, dotted with sallow 
bushes, yielded Dryopteris Thelypteris and numerous Carices; there 
