Page:The New Forest - its history and its scenery.djvu/270

Rh not far from it the cotton-grass waves its white down, and the asphodel rears its golden spike.

These are the commonest flowers of the Forest, and grow everywhere over its moors. In its dykes and marshes, the common frog-bit and the marsh-pimpernel spring up in every direction. The buckbean, too, brightens every pool on the south side, and is so common near the Avon that many of the fields are called "the buckbean mead," whilst in the northern parts it is known as "the fringed water-lily."

Very rich is the Forest in all these bog-plants. In Hinchelsea and Wilverley Bottoms grow the water-pimpernel (Samolus Valerandi), the lesser bladder-wort, and the bur-reed (Sparganium natans) floating on the water. Here, too, perhaps, the easternmost station known for it, blossoms the butterwort (Pinguicula Lusitanica), with its pale delicate flowers. In the autumn, also, the open turf grounds round Wootton are blue with the Calathian violet (Gentiana Pneumonanthe); whilst its little bright congener (Cicendia filiformis) blossoms in all the damp places.

Owing, also, to the presence of iron, the Forest possesses no less than seventeen or eighteen carices. The little thyme-leaved flax, too (Radiola millegrana), grows in all the moist, sandy dells.

From this general view it will be seen that the true Forest plants are not so much "sylvestral" as "ericetal," and "paludal," and "uliginal." Besides these groups, however, the Flora of the district further divides itself into the "littoral plants" along the sea-shores and estuaries, and the "pascual" flowers of the valley of the Avon. In the former division, owing to the want of rocks, no Statice spathulata grows on its sea-board. No true samphire (Crithmum maritimum) 252