Page:Hardwicke's Science-Gossip - Volume 1.pdf/49

] blossoms being quite the exception. The Pilewort (R. Ficaria) varies greatly in the number of its petals, instances being on record in which the flowers have been entirely double. Babington, in his Manual, assigns April and May as the time of the blossoming of this species; I have always observed it in flower by the end of February or the beginning of March; and have twice or thrice noticed it on Christmas day. In some neighbourhoods the blossoms of the Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) occasionally assume a deep pink tinge; and this is especially the case when they are somewhat past their prime. Yet it is a curious fact that all, or even the majority of, specimens do not partake of this peculiarity, as I have observed it in a wood near High Wycombe, in which the fading specimens retained their original white, with the exception of one single patch, of which all the blossoms were deep pink. I met with a curious form of the Field Larkspur (Delphinium Consolida) on some waste ground in Chelsea last year, in which the petals were entirely wanting.

I have recently observed, in Wycombe Park, a variety of the common Bittercress (Cardamine pratensis) presenting features similar to that mentioned in Part 16 of the "Liverpool Naturalist's Scrap-Book," having young shoots growing from the base of the terminal leaflet, which was much enlarged. The blossoms of the Bitter Candytuft (Iberis amara) are sometimes of a purple colour, differing widely from the chalky-white which is their usual hue.

I last year received from a botanical correspondent residing at Durham the very beautiful variety of the Wood Sorrel (Oxalis Acetosella) which was recorded by Dr. Richardson, in Ray's Synopsis, under the name of O. flore purpureo, as having occurred "in a hollow lane betwixt North Ouram and Halifax in plenty." My specimens came from a wood near Byer's Green, Durham, where I am informed that it occurred in abundance: and the same friend found it subsequently in Rokeby Wood, Yorkshire; he remarks that it blossoms later than the ordinary form. It appears to be rather unfrequent, and so conspicuous a plant could hardly be overlooked; it is reported from Chiselhurst, Kent; Shropshire; and Wales.

The proliferous variety of the White Clover (Trifolium repens) occurred last year in great abundance on the Balham end of Wandsworth Common; I had previously observed it in the grounds of Chelsea College. The blossoms of this species occasionally vary to a pinkish hue, somewhat similar to those of the variety known as the Scilly Trefoil, but of a much lighter shade; while those of the Purple Clover (T. pratense) are sometimes, though rarely, of a pure white. In the latter plant the calyx is occasionally much enlarged, and the flowers are almost hidden from view; this I imagine must be the variety called little-flowered (parviflorum) by some authors; it may usually be found on the Balham end of Wandsworth Common. The white variety above referred to I found last year in a field near Downley, Bucks, with a variety of the Hop Trefoil (T. procumbens), distinguished by Schreber as a species under the name of T. campestre. I am not aware that this last has been previously recorded as having occurred in Britain; it is much larger in all its parts than the Hop Trefoil (T. procumbens), and more robust in its growth; the leaves and flowers are also of a darker hue, and the former clasp the stem very closely, giving a shrubby character to the plant. The field in which I gathered it was sown with T. hybridum, and the former had evidently been introduced with it; but though it occurred in some plenty it did not appear to be part of the crop.

A curious variety of the Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) was noticed in the same neighbourhood, having umbellets, or small umbels, springing from the main head of blossom. This peculiarity was observed in but one plant. The lilac or blue hue, which is, with one exception, characteristic of our British Teazle Worts (Dipsacaceæ), is, as far as my experience goes, extremely variable—the shade of colour differing greatly in different plants. In the neighbourhood of High Wycombe, I last year found specimens of the Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) and the Small Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), having perfectly white blossoms, the latter occurring in one or two places; and at Whittington Park, in the same vicinity, a very pretty variety of the devil's bit (S. succisa) was observed, the flowers of which were of a pale pink, or flesh colour. The ordinary form of this plant is one of the last to yield to the approach of winter. I gathered a pretty bunch of its blossoms at the end of November last.

The order Compositæ, though large, does not furnish so many varieties as might be expected. The most interesting which I have noticed is one of the Nipple Wort (Lapsana communis), the flower-heads of which were proliferous, having smaller ones growing from the centre: this also occurred in the