Localities. — In wet spongy mountain bogs ; very rare. — Shropsh. Bomere 
Pool,. near Shrewsbury ; Aug. 4, 1832 : C. C. Babjncton, Esq. in Loud. Mag. 
Nat. Hist., v. vi. p. 368. Found in the same locality by the late John 
Jeudwine, Esq., M. A. Second Master of Shrewsbury School, seven years 
previously to Mr. Babington’s discovery: Mr. Liigiiton, in FI. of Shropsh. 
On the moss on the west side of Bomere Pool, and also on the adjoining Shomere 
moss, both near Shrewsbury: FI. of Shropsh. — Yorksh. In Lakeby Car, near 
Borough-bridge, growing abundantly along with Lysimachia thyrsiHora, 1807: 
(Rev. Mr. Dalton.) Sir J. E. Smith, in English Botany. Mr. Baines says 
(1840), that he had diligently examined Lakeby Car, for five seasons, without 
being able to find a single specimen. See FI. of Yorkshire. — SCOTLAND. 
Perthshire : Methven, near Perth : Mr. Duff, 1833. 
Perennial. — Flowers in May and June. 
Root long, creeping, tough, with a lax, white and shining cuticle. 
Stem upright, from 5 to 8 inches high, wavy, simple, smooth, com- 
pressed. Leaves few, upright, 2-ranked, alternate, becoming con- 
siderably elongated after flowering, semicylindrical, blunt, with a 
terminal pore or depression on the upper side (see fig. 6.) ; spongy 
within, dilated at the base into a large, membranous, clasping, 
blunt stipula. Cluster ( raceme J terminal, of about 5 small, in- 
conspicuous, greenish-brown flowers, each on a partial stalk with 
a membranous, leaf-like bractea at its base. Perianth and Stamens 
(see fig. 1.) reflexed. Anthers (see figs. 1 & 2.) brown, vertical, 
strap-shaped, opening at the inner side by 2 longitudinal parallel 
fissures. Germens (see figs. 1, a.) usually 3, egg-shaped, with 
lateral, sessile, oblong, downy stigmas. Capsules (see fig. 3.) 
globose, about the size of a pea, coriaceous, inflated, wrinkled, each 
containing 1 or 2 egg-shaped, smooth seeds. 
This very curious and interesting little plant is a native of 
Lapland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Prussia, Dau- 
phine, and Siberia. It had never been found wild in Britain until 
the Rev. JamesDalton discovered it, in 1807, growing abundantly 
in Lakeby Car, near Boroughbridge, as stated above ; but where it 
has now, according to Mr. Baines’ observations, become very 
rare, if not extinct. A living plant from Bomere Pool, near 
Shrewsbury, was kindly communicated to me in July, 1838, by 
W. Borrer, Esq. of Henfield, Sussex. 
The plant, up springing from the seed, 
Expands into a perfect flow’r ; 
The virgin-daughter of the mead, 
Wooed by the sun, the wind, the sliow’r; 
In loveliness beyond compare, 
It toils not, spins not, knows no care. 
Trained by the secret hand that brings 
All beauty out of waste and rude, 
It blooms a season, — dies, — and flings 
Its germs abroad in solitude. 
Montgomery. 
