Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/90

 A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE Crouch) (C. Crouch) — pusillum, L., var. tenuissimus, Ivel (J.S.) t — lanceolata, Roth. Chicksands (C. Crouch) Paris quadrifolia, L. In chalk and clay, not Catabrosa aquatica, Beauv. arenaceous soils tPhleum phalaroides, Wibel. It ' ilbury Hill Ruscus aculeatus, L. (T. B. Blow) Colchicum autumnale, L. Barton (Abbot) Poa compressa, L. Streatley (J.S.) Allium ursinum, L. Cbalton (J.S.) Festuca sciuroides, Roth. Ampthill (Druce) (Abbot) Nardus stricta, L. Flitwick (McLaren) Typha angustifolia, L. Clophill (C. Crouch) Lomaria Spicant, Desv. Flitwick (J.S.) Juncus obtusiflorus, Ehrh. Harlington Brickyards Asplcnium Adiantum-nigrum, L. (J.S.) tLastrea uliginosa, Nevvm. Flitwick (McLaren), Scirpus sylvaticus, L. Flitwick Marsh (J.H.), ? — cristata, Presl. Potton (Abbot), probably M'estoning L. spinulosa was meant (Abbot) Aspidium aculeatum, Sw. Flitwick (J.S.), Potton (Abbot) Scolopendrium vulgare, Symons. Toddington t'Carex dioica, L. Ampthill (Abbot) Ophioglossum vulgatum, L. Sundon (J.S.) — flava, L., var. minor, Towns. Southill Equisctum maximum, Lam. Barton (J.S.) (J.S.) ? "Lycopodium clavatum, L. Potton Heath (Abbot) Acorus Calamus, L. Tingrith Park ; planted ? * — inundatum, L. Ampthill (Abbot) (J.S.) Nitella mucronata, Kuetz. Sandy (J.S.) Apera Spica-venti, Beauv. Streatley (J.S.) tTolypella intricata, Lconh. Near Sundon (J.S.) 5. The Cam District is very small and narrow and is bounded on the west by the Ivel district as already described, and on the east by Hertfordshire. As the water-partings are obscure, no part of the district being above 200 feet in altitude, it may be well to merge it in the Ivel district which it so closely resembles. 6. The Ouzel District is in the south-west of the county and has for its eastern boundary the districts of the West Ouse and the Ivel district already described, but in the south it is separated from the Lea district by the Icknield Way from Chalton Cross by Houghton Regis to the Bucks boundary, which it touches above Edlesborough, and this county bounds it on the western side to Wharley End. This district is very varied in scenery as well as in its geological character. The streams which feed the Ouzel rise from the juncture of the Chalk with the impervious soil at its base, and cutting through the Upper Greensand and crossing the Gault also drain the picturesque country about Heath and Reach and Woburn Woods, which are on the Lower Greensand ; they finally pass through the country situated on the Oxford Clay, and that covered by the Ouse gravels. The latitude near Birdshill is 550 feet, at Toddington 485 feet, at Heath and Reach 460 feet, while no part appears to be below 200 feet. There are some boggy portions still left undrained near Aspley, also some interesting meadows with peat near Totternhoe, and the warm dry soil about Heath and Reach and Woburn affords a large number of ericetal species ; then the Chalk escarpment has its typical cretaceous vegetation, and its grassy slopes afford abundance of the rock-rose {Helianthemum Cbamcechtus), the lady's-fingers {Anthyllis Vulneraria), the horse-shoe vetch (Hippocreph comosa), the milkwort {Polygala vulgaris), the carline thistle {Carlina vulgaris), the stemless and musk- thistles {Cnicus acaulis and C. nutans), the field ragwort {Senecio campestris), the yellow-wort {Blackstonia perfoliata), the marjoram {Origanum vulgare), the thyme {Thymus Chamadrys), the orchids Orchis pyramidalis, O. ustulata, Habenaria conopsea, etc., the bee orchis {Ophrys apifera), the grasses Bromus erectus, A vena pratensis, A. pubescens, Festuca ovina, F. rigida, F. rubra, Kceleria cristata), the squinancy wort {Asperula cynanchica), the Canterbury bell {Campanula glomerata) and the scabious (Scabiosa Columbaria). The arable fields on the Chalk have the candytuft {Iberis amara), the great earth-nut (Carum Bulbocastanum), the crimson poppy {Papaver hybridum), the rattle Rhinanthus major, if indeed this be correctly named, the bur parsley {Caucalis nodosa), the Venus looking-glass 50
 * Potamogeton alpinus, Balb. Clophill (W. Calamagrostis Epigeios, Roth. Maulden
 * Narthecium ossifragum, Huds. Ampthill Bogs Bromus commutatus, Schrad. Barton (J.S.)
 * Schcenus nigricans, L. Ampthill, Potton (Abbot) 1885
 * — cjespitosus, L. Ampthill, Flitton Moors * — Thelypteris, Presl. Potton (Abbot)
 * Rynchospora alba, Vahl. Ampthill Moor and Potton, Chicksands