Page:VCH Herefordshire 1.djvu/98

 A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE portion is well known for its large and interesting series of rose forms ; of these Rosa Donlana and R. systyla cross into Herefordshire at Cowleigh Park and Storridge. Among other rare plants found close to the Worcestershire border may be mentioned the Nottingham catch-fly [Silene nutans, L.) the two bedstraws, the narrow-leaved and the rough corn bedstraw {Galium erectum and tricorne), and a rush {J uncus tenuis) first detected in Britain after an interval of nearly loO years in 1884 near Storridge. In addition to the above the greater burnet saxifrage [Pimpinella major) has been found at Cradley as the sole station in Herefordshire, and the field garlic [Allium oleraceum) in a wood at Colwall. The following is a full list of the rarer flowering plants known in this district : — Ranunculus sardous, Crantz Corydalis claviculata, DC. Reseda lutea, L. Silene nutans, L. Cerastium quaternellum, Fenzl. — semidecandrum, L. Sagina nodosa, Fenzl. Spergularia rubra, Pers. Tilia platyphyllos. Scop. Lotus corniculatus, L., sub-sp.tenu is,Waldst.&Kit. Astragalus glycyphyllus, L. Ornithopus perpusillus, L. Rubus plicatus, W. & N. — argenteus, W. & N. — obscurus, Kalt. f. Rubus Bellardii, W. & N. — velatus, Lefv. Rosa involuta, Sm., var. Doniana (Woods) — stylosa, (sp. coll.), var. systyla (Bast.) Sedum Telephium, L. Pimpinella major, Huds. Galium erectum, Huds. — tricorne, Stokes Scabiosa Columbaria, L. Jasione montana, L. Ligustrum vulgare, L. Lathraea Squamaria, L. Centunculus minimus, L. Plantago Coronopus, L. Juniperus communis, L. Cephalanthera pallens, Rich. Epipactis palustris, Crantz Orchis ustulata, L. Ophrys apifera, L. Habenaria viridis, R. Br. Gagea lutea, Kcr. Allium oleraceum, L. Juncus tenuis, Willd. Scirpus caricis, Retz. Eriophorum latifolium, Hoppe Carex axillaris. Good. — distans, L. Bromus ramosus, Huds., var. Benekenii (Syme) Brachypodium pinnatum, Beauv. 5. Bromyard This district forms the north-eastern point of the county where it abuts on Worcestershire. Its southern boundary is conterminous with the Ledbury district as far as the Frome valley ; thence its western side follows the main road north-west to Bredenbury and Grendon Bishop ; from this point it follows the watershed northwards to the county boundary near Bockleton. Its whole north and east frontier is formed by the Herefordshire and Worcestershire boundary, which is here extremely irregular. The district is one consisting entirely of Old Red Cornstones and Sandstones. The eastern part drains into the Teme, the western into the Frome Brook. The outstanding botanical record of great interest connected with this district is the discovery here in 1854 of the very rare orchidaceous plant Epipogum aphyllum. The plant has never been re- found here, but has been twice found since that date in the neighbourhood of Ludlow. Generally speaking the flora of the district resembles that of the Ledbury district which adjoins it on the south, but the latter is the richer in species. The Solomon's seal {Polygonatum multiflorum) has been recorded from two localities, and more than one of the helleborines occurs (Epipactis violacea and palustris), the first of these known nowhere else in the county, but abundant near Malvern in Worcestershire. The beautiful and little-known Teme valley abuts on Herefordshire, both at Whit- bourne and at Stamford Bridge. It has a rich bramble vegetation ; Rubus Boraeanus, praeruptorum, flaccidifolius, velatus, and triangularis, all being found in proximity to the latter place. The Teme produces also a rare figwort [Scrophularia umbrosa) in abundance ; and a large wood near Edvin Ralph is the sole Herefordshire station for Rubus suberectus. A very rare eryngo [Eryngium campestre) used to grow at Upper Sapey in this district, but unfortunately it has been exterminated. List of notable species :- Helleborus viridis, L. — foetidus, L. Viola canina, L. Spergularia rubra, Pers. Erodium moschatum, L'Herit. Ornithopus perpusillus, L. Rubus suberectus, Anders. — argenteus, W. & N. — Boraeanus, Genev. — infestus, W., var. virgultorum, A. Ley — praeruptorum, Boulay — Bellardii, W. and N. Rubus serpens, W. — minutiflorus, P. J. Muell. — velatus, Lefv. — dumetorum, W. & N., var. triangularis, A. Ley Rosa spinosisslma, L. Geum rivale, L. Sedum Telephium, L. Galium tricorne, Stokes Dipsacus pilosus, L. Anthemis nobilis, L. Scrophularia aquatica, L., sub-sp. umbrosa, Dumort. 46 Lathraea Squamaria, L. Neottia nidus-avis. Rich. Epipactis violacea, Boreau — palustris, Crantz Epipogum aphyllum, Sw. Orchis pyramidalis, L. Polygonatum multiflorum, All. Convallaria majalis, L. Eriophorum latifolium, Hoppe. Carex axillaris. Good. Hordeum sylvaticum, Huds.