I.ocai.itii s — Tn corn-fields, and on dry gravelly banks ; rare. — Cheshire ; 
On a hill at Horsl. y Bath; near Beeston Castle ; Mr. Vernon, in Blackst. Sp. 
Bot. — Dorset; In Bere Field; observed for two years, bill afteiwards los' : 
Dr. Pi t TSNtY. — Gloucestersh. Corn -fields near Gloucester ; U.S. Winti.e, 
in N. B. G. — Hants ; I n corn-fields between Seephill and M. Lawrence, where, 
as well as on sleep banks, and even in woods, but particiilailv among corn, it 
grows in far loo gieat a degree of abundance, and is gradually encroaching on 
the whea'-fitlds all along the Undercliff from Niton even to Bonchuich, Isle of 
Wight: Dr. \V. A. Bkomfii i n.— Norfolk ; In the corn on the right hand just 
before you come to I.vcham: \lr J.Shi-raiid, in Bay’s Syn. In Wesenham 
corn-fields; Mr. Hii.l, in Black. Sp Bot — Once found ill Barton Bendish : 
Rev. R. Forbv- In the common field at Spm le, especially among w heal : Rev. 
J. S. Waits. At Costesey and Bixlev, near Norwich: Mr. Pitch ford. At 
Swardeston and Keswick, near Noiwich: Mr. Crow. — Warwicksh. Backing- 
ton: Countess of A vi esfor n. 
Annual. — Flowers in July. 
Root tapering, fibrous. Stem upright, from 6 inches to a foot or 
more high, bluntly 4-cornered, much branched, often purplish, 
clothed with very short, defiexed hairs, leafy. Leaves opposite, 
nearly sessile, spear-shaped, pointed, one or two of the upper pairs 
usually wiih several long, spear-shaped, pointed teeth, at the base; 
all rough wi;h very short, bristly hairs. Spikes conical, gradually 
lengthening out, many-flowered, firacleas (see fig. 1.) loosely 
spreading, deeply pec'inated or pinnatifid.; the upper ones entirely, 
and the lower ones partially, coloured of a delicate purplish rose- 
colour. Flowers large, about as long as the bracteas. Segments of 
the calyx very long and slender, sharp-pointed, coloured like the 
bracleas, and rough with short blunt hairs. Corolla (fig. 3.) a little 
longer than the segments of the calyx, rough with short hairs ; tube 
dilated at the base and throat, narrow and curved in the middle; 
lips closed, upper one very obtuse, and beautifully fringed at the 
margin ; lower ones nearly flat, channelled on the upper side, with 
a prominent rib on the lower, very slightly 3-cleft; varigated with 
yellow, rose-colour, and purple. Filaments 4, fringed with hairs. 
Anthers incumbent, combined. Gennen egg-shaped. Style slender, 
longer than the stamens, curved at the summit. Stiyma small, blunt. 
Seeds large, resembling grains of wheat, 2 in each cell, though often 
by abortion only one. 
It is a beautiful plant, and would be an ornament to the flower-garden, was it 
not— like other species of the genus — very shy of cultivation. It is a bad weed 
to the faimer, especially when it abounds among wheat. Dr. Bromfifi.d in- 
forms me, that “ the value of the wheat on certain farms, in land behind St. 
Lawrance,” in the Isle of Wicht, “ is greatly lowered fiom the admixture of 
the seeds, which cannot be sepaiated from i lie grain by winnowing, the specific 
gravity of both being nearly the same ; these seeds impart a bluish colour to the 
flour, and give it, when made into bread, a hot and unpleasant flavour, which 
must be any thing but w holesome to those w ho make use of it. The plant is well 
known in the neighbomhood as the Poierty-weed, and various traditions are 
afloat as to the manner of its introduction to this island, which however is not of 
very recent date, the species having existed in some of its present stations for at 
least 40 years, and is by some supposed to have come over from Jersey, where, 
however, it is not known at present as indigenous, or even naturalized. Others 
conjecture that it may have been impoited fiom Spain, but these suppositions 
are entirely gratuitous, appearing to have no foundation tn fact. The probability 
is, we are indebted for this unwelcome, though splendid addition to our flora, 
[of the Isle of Wight] to an impoilation of seed-w heal from Norfolk, or some 
other maritime county, where, as in this island, it infests only such corn lands 
as lie over chalk, or contain a large proportion of calcareous earth.” 
Cows and goats are said to eat this plant; sheep to refuse it. 
For the specimen figuted, as well as for the above interesting information, T am 
indebted to the kindness of Dr. \V. A. Bromfii i.it, of ltyde, in the Isle of Wight, 
w ho is now preparing a Flora of that Island. 
