Localities. — In bogs, net places on moors, and on raounlaihs; frequent. — 
Berks ; Bogs on Gieenhain Common, near Newbury: J. E. Biche.no, Esq. 
Windsor Great Park: Walk . FI. of Oxf. On the Common at Burghfield : 
Rev. A. Biro. — Bedfordsh. Ampthill Bogs: Rev. C. Abbot .—Cambridgesh. 
1 urfy Bogs at Gamlingay : Rev. R. Relhan.— Cornwall ; Bogs near Pilla- 
ton : H. Woollcombe, Esq. — Cumberland ; Ullock Bog near Keswick. Com- 
mon in moist places throughout the Lake Country : E. Hill, Esq. Ch. Ch. Ox- 
ford. — Devon; Dartmor, Haldon, Woodbury Hill, &c. : FI. Devon. Bogs near 
Ashbury: 11. Woollcombe, Esq. — Durham; In bogs on moors and heaths, 
not rare: N. J. Winch, Esq. — Kent ; Willesboro’ Leas: Rev. G. E. Smith. — 
Lancash. Near Coniston : Miss Mary Bikver. Halsall Moss; Parr Moss; 
and Chat Moss: G. Ckosfiei.d, Esq. — Norfolk; Dersingham Moor: Mr. 
Crowe. — Northumberland; In bogs on moors and heaths, not rare: N. J. 
Winch, Esq. — Shropsh. Moreton Moors, three miles from Blymhill : Rev S- 
Dickenson, — Stajffordsh. In Needwood Forest: Dr. Withering. — Surrey; 
Bogs on Putney Heath: Newton, in Ray's Syn. — Warwicksh. Bog below 
Coleshill Pool: Rev. W. T. Bree, in Mag. Nat. Hist. v. iii. p. 164. — Worces- 
tersh. Near Rubry Hill, on the Lickey : T. Puiiton, Esq. A new road has 
been recently made here, which augurs ill for the continuance of the plant : Mr. 
E. Lees. — WALES. Anglesey; In turbaries, &c.: Rev. H. Davies — Mon- 
gomerysh. Bogs on the side of the Holyhead Road: Mr. II. Barrett.— 
SCOTLAND. Common in moorish ground. Murton Craigs, Moors west 
of Belford, Haiden Dean, &c.: FI. of Berwick. Bog on the hill above North 
Queensferry : Mr. Neill. Pentland Hills, but not frequent : Dr. Greville. — 
IRELAND. Bog at Glengarriff ; and near Bandon, county of Cork: E. Hill, 
Esq. In bogs, common : Mr. J. T. Mackay. 
Perennial. — Flowers in July and August. 
Root somewhat tuberous, creeping. Leaves all radical, uni- 
form, equitant, sword-shaped, striated, pointed. Scape from 6 to 
8 inches high, decumbent at the base, about twice as long as the 
leaves, clothed at intervals with spear-shaped scales, those at the 
base largest, gradually becoming smaller as they approach the top. 
Flowers bright yellow, in a terminal, upright, rather close raceme. 
Pedicels alternate, simple, angular, each with a spear-shaped 
bractea, about its own length at the base, and a smaller one more 
than half way up. Stamens (see fig. 1.) much shorter than the 
widely spreading, permanent petals. Filaments clothed with a 
thick wool of a bright saffron colour, which appears beaded when 
seen through a microscope. Anthers scarlet. Back or keel of 
each petal green. Capsule prismatic, pointed, brown, shining, 
half covered by the converging petals (see fig. 4). Seeds (fig. 5.) 
with a very long arillus or tunic, forming an appendage to each 
extremity, attached to a longitudinal receptacle on each valve ; the 
receptacles form the dissepiments. 
This is a very elegant, sweet scented, and beautiful plant ; but 
being a native of boggy places, it cannot, without some difficulty, 
be preserved in gardens. It is believed ij* Sweden to be noxious 
to sheep, and has been supposed to soften the bones of animals that 
feed upon it, (whence the trivial name) ; but these old prejudices 
have been refuted by Linn in his Flora Lapponica. Cows and 
horses eat it; sheep and swine refuse it. 
1 am indebted to Miss Mary Bekvkr, for the specimen from 
which tfie drawing was made for the accompanying plate. 
