petiolate, upper ones sessile, and more acuminated.

Seed

Flowers deep rose-colour, erect, arranged in numerous unilateral, cymose spikes. Stamen single. ovate, narrowed upwards, slightly scabrous, margins strongly nerved, 3-ribbed and gibbous at the apex on one side, 1-ribbed on the other.

3. VALERIANELLA. Moënch. Corn-Sallad.

1. V. olitoria, Moënch. Common Corn-Sallad or Lamb's Lettuce. Capsule subglobose, laterally compressed, inflated, slightly pubescent, furrowed in front and on the back, the two sterile cells larger than the fertile one which is backed by a mass of cellular matter, crowned with the three obscure teeth of the calyx; flowers capitate. Valeriana Locusta, Linn. E. Bot. t. 811. Fedia olitoria, Vahl. E. Fl.

บ. i. p. 45. Hook Br. Fl. p. 23.

Hedge-banks and corn-fields; abundant. Fl. April-June. ©.

Root fibrous. Stem dichotomous, more or less rough with a rib armed with deflexed bristles continued down the stem from the edges and keels of the leaves. Radical leaves spathulate, those of the stem oblong, obtuse, entire or a little toothed, semi-amplexicaul, keels and the margins near the bases ciliated with short bristles continued down the ribs of the stem. Flowers pale blue, in terminal compact heads, with a kind of involucre at their base, formed of numerous, crowded, linear-oblong, often divided, ciliated bracteas. Capsule 3-lobed, obscurely furrowed both on the back and in front, somewhat wrinkled or pitted especially the larger lobe, pubescent, 3-celled, 2 of the cells parallel, oblong, single-ribbed on each side and abortive, the fertile one elliptical, transverse, backed by a mass of cellular matter, forming the larger lobe of the capsule. Seed solitary in the fertile cell, oval, smooth.

Carinated Corn-Sallad.

2. V. carinata, Lois. Capsule oblong, subtetragonous, punctato-striate, slightly pubescent, deeply furrowed in front, the two sterile cells nearly equal to the fertile one, crowned with the straight single tooth of the calyx; flowers capitate. Fedia carinata, Stev. Hook. Br. Fl. addenda to 3rd edition. Bot. Suppl. t. 2810.

E.

Hedge-bank close to the Long Lane Quarry, near Cheney Longville. Fl. June, July. O.

Root small. Stem 3-12 inches high, dichotomously branched from the base, rough with ribs armed with rigid deflexed bristles, proceeding from the edges and keels of the leaves. Radical leaves spathulate, those of the stem oblong, obtuse, entire or slightly toothed, semi-amplexicaul, margins ciliated with short bristles. Flowers pale blue, in terminal compact heads, with a kind of involucre at their base, formed of numerous, crowded, often divided, oblong bracteas, ciliated and membranaceous at their margins. Capsule oblong, 3-lobed, deeply furrowed in front, punctato-striate, pubescent, 3-celled, equal, two of the cells somewhat divergent, single-ribbed on each side and abortive, the fertile one transverse, with a longitudinal rib at the back, and terminated in a short obtuse tooth. Seed solitary in the fertile cell, oval, smooth.

Closely allied to V. olitoria, with which it agrees in its habit and general appearance, but essentially distinguished by the different form of its capsule.

3. V. dentata, DC. Smooth narrow-fruited Corn-Sallad. Capsule obpyriform, dorsally compressed, punctato-striate, acuminate, the two sterile cells reduced to hollow ribs, crowned with the prominent, cup-shaped, oblique, unequally 4-toothed calyx; flowers corymbose,

a sessile flower in the forks.
t. 1370. Fedia dentata, Vahl.
Fl. p. 23.

Valeriana dentata, Willd.
E. Fl. v. i. p. 45.

E. Bot.

Hook. Br.

Hedge-banks and corn-fields; not common. Fl. June, July. O. Corn-fields near Little Wenlock; Mr. F. Dickinson. Astley; Mr. E. Elsmere, junr.!

Fields near Bomere Pool. Hedge-banks at Cross Hill, near Shrewsbury. Fields, Hill Top, Wenlock Edge. Corn-fields near Sharpstones Hill.

Root small. Stem rough as in the preceding, but much more dichotomously branched. Leaves narrower, linear tongue-shaped, upper ones with about 2 or 3 distinct teeth at the base on each side. Flowers flesh-coloured, in small terminal corymbs. Bracteas two at the base of each ramification of the inflorescence, linear, entire or with a membranaceous, subserrated, or ciliated margin. Fruit obpyriform, distinctly margined, convex and single-ribbed on the back, where the fertile cell is situated, nearly plane in front, where are the two abortive cells reduced to two projecting hollow ribs or lines curving below and uniting above the base, and terminated upward in two small subulate teeth; between them is a single rib surmounted by a similar tooth. The perfect cell is lengthened into a large broad and sharp tooth, with two smaller teeth at the base, one on each side. The surface of the fruit is minutely punctato-striate, the margins of the calyxteeth ciliated, with a few scattered hairs on the back of the larger tooth. mouth of the calyx is in some specimens open and the calyx-teeth divergent, whilst in others it is more closed by the inflexed convergence of the calyx-teeth.

The

Var. B. eriocarpa. Capsule clothed with spreading incurved rigid hairs, cup of the calyx large and open.

Three or four specimens of this plant occurred in a corn-field near the Sharpstones Hill, in August 1837, growing intermixed with the smooth-fruited state of V. dentata.

4. CROCUS. Linn. Crocus.

1. C. vernus, Willd. Purple Spring Crocus.

Stigma within the flower, erect, cut into three jagged, wedge-shaped lobes; tube of the corolla hairy at the mouth. E. Bot. t. 344. E. Fl. v. i. Hook. Br. Fl. p. 24.

P. 46.

Meadows and fields; naturalized.

Fl. March. 4.

"Common in meadows near Ludlow, supposed to be the sites of old cottages;" Miss Mc Ghie.

Three specimens, collected (1835) in Dorset's Barn Fields, Shrewsbury. Bulb solid, external coat of numerous parallel fibres. Leaves all radical, enclosed in several imbricated membranous sheaths, linear, obtuse, broadly keeled, margins revolute, smooth, with a white central stripe on the upper surface. Flowers purple, from a loose, clasping, acuminated spatha, petals elliptical oblong, twice as long as the pistils and stamens. Mouth of the tube with numerous pellucid glandular hairs.

The bulb of the Crocus appears to consist, in reality, of the base of the stem much swollen, enveloped by several swollen and modified leaves closely agglutinated, and concentrically overlapping each other, and supporting in their axils, a series of embryonic bulbs or buds spirally arranged. On tracing these concentric leaves throughout the bulb to its summit, it will be found that the shoot or shoots destined to produce flowers, &c. in the present year, are one or more of these embryonic bulbs more highly developed than the rest. In these shoots also the same concentric arrangement of the leaves exists.

5. IRIS. Linn.

1. I. Pseud-acorus, Linn.

Iris or Fleur de Luce.

Yellow Water-Iris or Corn-flag.

Leaves sword-shaped; perianth beardless, inner segments smaller than the stigma; stem round; seeds angular. E. Bot. t. 578.

E. Fl. v. i. p. 48.

Hook. Br. Fl. v. i. p. 26.

Watery places, wet meadows, margins of pools and rivulets; frequent. Fl. May-July. 4.

Astley; Mr. E. Elsmere, junr.! Near Oswestry; Rev. T. Salwey. Eyton and Walford; T. C. Eyton, Esq. Oakley Park, near Ludlow; Mr. H. Spare. Near Ludlow; Miss Me Ghie. Buildwas; Mr. F. Dickinson.

Near Shrewsbury, and other parts of the county, generally.

Root large, horizontal, depressed, sending long fibres from its lower part. Stem erect, somewhat zig-zag, round, smooth. Leaves erect, in 2 opposite rows, equitant, ribbed. Bracteas thin and membranous at the edges. Flowers erect, large, handsome, bright yellow, large segments placed opposite to and underneath the stigmas, smaller ones erect, narrow, all united by a firm thick base. Stigmas 2-lipped, upper lip cloven, erect, lower minute, with a cleft between them to receive the pollen. Capsule angular, 3-celled, 3-valved. 2-ranked, globular or angular from pressure.

Seeds numerous,

The dried root is used in the preparation of ink, black dyes, &c.

Leaves sword-shaped ;

2. I. fætidissima, Linn. Stinking Iris. perianth beardless, inner segments spreading about as large as the stigma; stem one-angled; seeds globose. E. Bot. t. 596. E. Fl. v. i. p. 50. Hook. Br. Fl. p. 26.

Woods, thickets, and pastures; very rare.

"On a

Fl. May. 2.

warm bank near Shortwood, in the neighbourhood of Ludlow;" Miss Mc Ghie. "One large root near a small plantation of fir-trees, between Sharpstones Hill and Sutton;" Mr. F. Dickinson.

Stem 1-2 feet high. Leaves emitting, when bruised, a peculiar disagreeable smell. Flowers smaller than the last, dull livid purple, streaked with darker veins. Capsule 3-celled. Seeds numerous, smooth, orange.

1. M. fontana, Linn. Water Blinks or Water Chickweed. Leaves opposite, spathulate, entire; flowers axillary or terminal; capsule roundish, 1-celled, seeds 3, subreniform, dotted. E. Bot. t. 1206.

E. Fl. v. i. p. 187. Hook. Br. Fl. p. 59.

Springy and wet places, and on the margins of pools; not very common. Fl. March-June. O.

Ellesmere; Rev. A. Bloxam. Hawkestone Heath; Mr. F. Dickinson.

Pulley Common, Bomere Pool (east side), Sharpstones Hill, Haughmond Hill, Lyth Hill, all near Shrewsbury.

Whole plant much branched, smooth and succulent, varying considerably in size. Stem prostrate and rooting. Peduncles nearly terminal, often forked from the axils of the upper leaves. Flowers white, at first drooping. Stamens short, inserted on the corolla. Capsule surrounded with the persistent calyx. Seeds black, concentrically dotted.

1. I. setacea, Br. Bristle-stalked Moor-rush. Stems setaceous, compressed, with 1 or 2 leaves at the base; spikelets 1 or 2, sessile ; bractea erect, leafy, much shorter than the stem; fruit rotundoobovate, trigonous, longitudinally ribbed and marked transversely

with minute parallel striæ.

Scirpus setaceus, Linn. E. Bot. t. 1693.

E. Fl. v. i. p. 59. Hook. Br. Fl. p. 28.

Moist gravelly places; rare. Fl. July, August. 2.

Bog below the south-west side of the Wrekin; Mr. F. Dickinson. Near Park Brook, Wyre Forest; Mr. W. G. Perry. Shawbury Heath.

Root fibrous, with numerous creeping scyons. Stems tufted, 2-6 inches high, very slender. Leaves setaceous, chiefly at the base. Spikelets ovate. Glumes obtuse, pinkish brown, margins and keels green. Stamens 2. Stigmas 3. Bractea leafy, dilated at the base, with membranous edges, obtuse, with a smaller deciduous one opposite, similar in colour and texture to the glumes, but larger. Fruit brown, slightly pointed, with prominent longitudinal ribs, and marked transversely with minute parallel striæ.

8.

ELEOGITON. Link. Water-Rush.

1. E. fluitans, Link. Floating Water-Rush. Stem, or rather rhizoma, floating, compressed, branched, leafy, pliant; leaves fasciculate; flower-stalks alternate, with a sheathing leaf at the base; spikes terminal, ovate, few-flowered; fruit obovate, plano-convex, minutely pitted. Scirpus fluitans, Linn. E. Bot. t. 216. E. Fl. v. i. p. 57. Eleocharis fluitans, Hook. Hook. Br. Fl. p. 31. Sides of pools which are sometimes dried up; not uncommon. July. 4.

Bomere Pool, near Shrewsbury; Rev. Edw. Williams. Astley; Dr. T. W. Wilson, and Mr. Edw. Elsmere, junr.!

Hancott Pool, near Shrewsbury.

Fl. June,

Side of pit near

Root fibrous. Stem slender, zig-zag, trailing and throwing out fibres from the joints, branched alternately. Leaves awl-shaped, 3-nerved, nerves parallel, connected at intervals by transverse ones, keeled, spreading at nearly right angles with their membranous, 3-nerved, sheaths. Flower-stalks 2 or 3 inches long, compressed, contracted at the top. Spikes small. Glumes obtuse, pale-green. Stigmas 2, long and feathery. Style short. Fruit obovate, plano-convex, very minutely pitted, white, crowned with the base of the style.

9. ERIOPHORUM. Linn.

Cotton-grass.

* Spike solitary, terminal.

Stem tri

1. E. vaginatum, Linn. Hare's-tail Cotton-grass. quetrous above, round below, invested with numerous reticulated sheaths, the lower ones elongated into long setaceous leaves, upper ones leafless, obtuse, inflated; spike ovate; fruit obovate, triquetrous, covered with minutely elevated points. E. Bot. t. 873. E. Fl. v. i. p. 66. Hook. Br. Fl. v. i. p. 31.

Boggy ground; not unfrequent. Fl. March-May. 2.

Clee Hills; Mr. G. Jorden. Ellardine Moss; Mr. F. Dickinson. Near Ellesmere, abundantly; Dr. Evans in Bot. Guide. Hancott Bog; Mr. A. Aikin in Bot. Guide. Bog near Ellesmere; Rev. A. Bloxam.

Ludlow; Mr. Spare.

Felton Farm, near

Bomere Pool, near Shrewsbury. Knockin Heath.

Vownog Bog, near

Stem jointed, smooth, erect, with several inflated,

Westfelton.

Root tufted, creeping.

strongly reticulated sheaths in the lower part, 1 or 2 of them elongated