Page:A Short Account of the Botany of Poole.djvu/3

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is here intended to illustrate the Botany of the flowering plants and ferns of the neighbourhood of Poole. For this purpose, it is proposed to give a succintsuccinct [sic] account of the general aspect and nature of the district, an alphabetical list of the plants contained in it, and the habitats of some of the rarer species.

In describing the general aspect and nature of the locality, it appears necessary to give a short account of its geological features, but this will be done as briefly as possible.

The district on which Poole lies, is denominated the Poole Trough, being a portion of the Isle of Wight basin, comprising a considerable part of its western extremity; though not its extreme point. Its northern boundary is between Wimborne and Hinton Martell, beyond which the chalk extends over a large tract of country. The southern boundary is a line of chalk, passing through Purbeck from near Corfe Castle to Studland, and corresponding with the chalk stratum running through the Isle of Wight. From the chalk line in Purbeck, passing south, the successively inferior strata rapidly appear, as far as the Portland stone, and Kimmeridge clay beds; the former occuring at Tilly-whim, and the latter near Encombe at the place whence it takes its name. To the west of Poole, the chalk strata,