Page:VCH Northamptonshire 1.djvu/103

BOTANY contrast to those which are situated on drift or h'assic clay, for on the clay formation the vegetation has a dull uniformity, while in these rather picturesque woods of Badby there is a pleasing variety of plants, many of which are rare in other parts of the county : for instance we have the blinks {Montia fontana), the sweet briar {Roia Eglanteria or rubiginosa), the water purslane {Pcplis Portula), the bog chickweed [Stellaria uliginoia), the brambles Rubus Bellardi and R. hirtus, the golden rod [Solidago Virgaurea), the foxglove {Digitalis purpurea), the ling and heather [Calluna Erica and Erica cinerea), the wood pimpernel {Lysimachia nemoru/n), the rampions {Campanula Rapuncu/us), the bell flower (C. Trachelium), the lousewort {Pedicu/aris sy/vatica), the ramsons [Allium ursinum), the great wood rush {yuncoides [Luzula"] sylvaticum), the pale sedge {Carex pallescem), the wood millet grass [Milium effiaum), the melic grass [Melica unifiora), the floating club-rush [Scirpus fluitani), the hard fern [Lomaria Spicant), the prickly shield ferns [Polyitichum aculeatum and P. angulare), the sweet-scented mountain fern [Dryopteris montana or Laitrea Oreopteris), the wood horsetail [Equisetum sy/vaticum), the butterfly orchis (Habenaria chlorohuca), the heath speedwell [Veronica officinalis), the orpine [Sedum Telephium), the heath cudweed [Gnaphalium sylvaticum), the raspberry [Rubus idaus), the creeping and upright St. John's worts [Hypericum humifusum and pulchrum), and many other species. In this district we have the highest ground in the county on Arbury Hill (734 feet). This and the neighbouring hill of Staverton, also capped with Northampton sands, are the home of many species of brambles, including Rubus pyramidalis, R. dasyphyllus, R. thyrsoideus, R. argentatus, R. rosaceus, R. erythrinus, and R. radula, with luxuriant specimens of the fern Dryopteris dilatata, the hair grass [Deschampsia flexuosu), and Viola agratis. The ancient camp of Borough Hill (655 feet above sea-level), which like the other eminences is capped with Northampton sands, is also in this district, and its flora, though less interesting than formerly from the encroaching hand of cultivation, has still many local species. The sheep's bit scabious [Jasione montana), tlie English catchfly [Silene anglica), have been gathered on it, and also the burnet rose [Rosa pimpinellifolia or R. spinosissima), the downy rose [R. mollissima, Willd. = R. tomentosa, Sm.), the hawkweeds [Hieracium horeale and H. umbellatum), also Rosa glauca, and var. implexa, and the brambles Rubus pyramidalis, R. Selmeri, R. Marshalli, R. carpinifolius, R. pulchcrrimus, R. Lindleianus, R. echinatus, R. macro- phyllus, and R. dumetorum, the golden rod [Solidago Virgaurea), the sticky heath groundsel [Senecio sylvaticus), the corn flower [Centaurea Cyanus), the calamint [Calamintha montana or officinalis), the field woundwort [Stachys arvensis), the small scorpion grass [Myosotis versicolor), the corn marigold [Chrysanthemum segetum) and other species. Farthingstone Castle Dykes, another ancient camp, has had recorded for it the orpine [Sedum Telephium), the daffodil [Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus), the bell-flower [Campanula patula) (but this I have not been able to discover), the St. John's wort [Hypericum pulchrum), the Dane wort [Sambucus Ebulus), the sweet chestnut [Castanea sativa), the bramble [Rubus Bellardi), and in a wet place the golden saxifrage [Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), the marsh penny wort [Hydro- cotyle) and the willow herb [Epilobium obscurum). On the heathy ground between the Dykes and Stowe Wood the heath cudweed [Gnaphalium sylvaticum), the heath speedwell [Veronica officinalis), the St. John's worts [Hypericum humifusum and H. pulchrum), the heath bedstraw [Galium hercynicum), the heath and marsh stitchworts [Stellaria graminea and S. uliginosa), the lousewort [Pedicularis sylvatica), and the grasses [Deschampsia flexuosa and Agrostis canina) have been gathered. Stowe Wood has a very local species in the beautiful wood vetch [Vicia sylvatica), the daffodil [Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus), the wood millet grass [Milium ejfusum), the hawkweed [Hieracium horeale), the golden saxifrage, and in clayey places the great horsetail [Equisetum maximum), besides some of the plants mentioned above. Dallington Heath, with Harleston Firs, which are situated on the Northampton sands, have a very variable soil, so that in addition to the light sand and clays we have some peaty deposits which make it almost unique as a piece of botanizing ground in the county. Facility in exploring it is given to students of natural history by the kindness of Earl Spencer. Among the plants which have been found are the upright pearlwort [Cerastium quaternellum, formerly known as Moenchia), the sandwort [Buda rubra or Arenaria rubra), the rose of Sharon [Hypericum calycinum), the St. John's worts [Hypericum pulchrum and H. humifusum), the holly [Ilex Aquifolium), the hemlock-leaved stork's-bill [Erodium cicutarium), the needle furze [Genista anglica), the bird's-foot trefoil [Ornithopus perpusillus), the small furze [Ulex minor or U. nanus), the hare's-foot trefoil [Trifolium arvense), Lotus uliginosus, the cherries [Prunus Cerasus and P. avium), the burnet rose [Rosa spinosissima), the mountain ash [Pyrus Aucuparia), the brambles [Rubus rbamnif alius, R. dasyphyllus, R. macrophyllus and var, amplificatus, R, echinatus, R, Radula), 69