RXHinmON MEETTNCl, 1950 
70 
They are broadly elliptical and very different from the cauline 
leaves, but are acute and not obtuse-spathulate as in all P. cal- 
caveu. The flowers are usually bright, pure blue, like P. cal- 
carea. In West Kent such a colour is most unusual in P. 
vulgaris 
There is another form of P. vulgaris found near Lamber- 
hurst on claj'ey hedgebanks. This is very lai'ge with long flower- 
ing stems and racemes, and has pale mauve flowers ; the lateral 
sepals are narrower than the fruit. The late Mr. J. R. Wallis 
t' sent this plant to the late Mr. A. J. Wilmott, who identified it 
as P. oxyptera Reichb., but it differs in size, flower colour and 
habit from that species, as shown. Typical specimens from 
East Kent and Rutland of P. oxyptera auct. were exhibited. 
Very large prostrate forms of P. vulgaris with pale blue- 
mauve flowers occur at Chilham Downs, East Kent, and else- 
where, but although superficially like the Lamberhurst plaiit, 
they possess lateral sepals as wide as the fully grown capsule. 
F. calcarea F. Schultz. The most reliable characters for 
seiJarating this species from all forms of F. vulgaris appear 
to lie in : — (i) the always obtuse, spathulate leaves of the basal 
rosette; (ii) the obtuse stem-leaves (in F. vulgaris the stem- 
leaves are always acute) ; (iii) the obtuse lateral sepals, which 
“bleach” at the fruiting stage. The West Kent form appears 
similar to that found in Surrey and on the East Sussex Chalk, 
but the form found near Dover differs from this. The differ- 
ences are as follows : — 
Surrey, Mid and West 
Kent Plant. 
Dover District Plant. 
Flowers 
Usually very deep blue, 
though fading in fruit to 
whitish blue (pink and 
white forms occur but 
are rare), large (5-6 mni. 
long). 
Always of a much paler 
blue (pink and white 
forms not noted), smaller 
(3-5 mm. long). 
Flowering 
shoots 
Long, usually 6-12 cm. in 
length above rosette, sub- 
erect. 
Always much shorter, 2.5- 
6 cm. long, rarely more, 
above rosette, usually 
prostrate. 
Upper stem- 
leaves 
Usually over 10 mm. long. 
Usually 5-10 mm. long. 
Radical 
leaves 
Large (5 mm. wide. 10-12 
mm. long), flat. 
Smaller, up to 5 mm. 
wide, 6-8 mm. long, 
keeled. 
Haljitat 
In old Chalk grassland on 
both N. and S. slopes, 
among Bromus ereclus, 
Festuca ovlna, Potertum 
Sangntsorba. Hlppocrepis, 
etc. 
In old Chalk grassland on 
both N. and S. slopes, 
among Festuca ovina, 
Briza media, Hippocrepts, 
Brachijpodlum pinnatum 
(where latter grass is 
grazed short). 
