Page:VCH Kent 1.djvu/109

 BOTANY means confined to wet places, being plentiful on the downs in district 2, and doubtless elsewhere. Lactuca virosa, L., though local, has many more localities than L. Scario/a, L., found sparingly in the maritime or sub-maritime portions of districts i, 2, 3, 7. L. sa/igna, L. grows in a few places near the Thames ; about Sheerness, Heme Bay, Whitstable and Seasalter ; and at Wouldham. Sonchus palustris, L. (marsh sow-thistle) is almost restricted to the Thames and Medway valleys (there is an out- lying station at Ryarsh Wood) ; the alleged east Kent localities were most likely errors, as large states oi S. arvensis growing in marshes have often been mistaken for this species. Tragopogon pratense, L., var. Symei, Ar. Benn. {grandijiorum, Bosw.) has been observed at Sydenham, Cobham and Wye ; T. porrifolius, L. (salsify) being occasionally found more or less naturalized. Campanulace^. — Wahlenbergia hederacea, Reichb. (ivy-leaved bell- flower) has occurred on the bogs in district i ; about Chevening, Knockholt, Down, Cudham and Westerham ; and at Seal Chart. Phy- teuma orbiculare, L., locally plentiful in Surrey and Sussex, is very rare in Kent, being restricted to a few stations in district 2 and the cliffs between Walmer and St. Margaret's ; it appears to be extinct at Beacon Hill near Faversham. Campanula glomerata, L. (clustered bellflower), though abundant in district 2, has a very thin distribution over the rest of the chalk country ; C. latifolia, L. (giant bellflower) is recorded only from Cobham, Rainham and Canterbury ; C. Rapu?iculus, L. from Bexley, North Cray, Crayford, Dartford, Cobham and Harrietsham ; while C. patula, L. has but two stations, near Bexley and at Cobham. Vacciniace^. — The bilberry {Vaccinium Myrtillus, L.) has only seven definite localities outside districts 8, 9, where it is locally abun- dant ; and the cranberry {Schollera Oxycoccus, Roth, V. Oxycoccos, L.) possesses a solitary station at Oldborough (district 8). Ericace^. — Erica Tetralix, L. (cross-leaved heath) is very rare, except on the moist sands of districts i, 8, 9 ; E. cinerea, L. (purple heath) being also scarce in districts 2, 7, 10, and quite absent from districts 3 to 6. Pyrola rotundifolia, L. has one west Kent habitat in Joyden's Wood, Bexley ; it also occurs at Millstead (district 6), and in seven parishes — mostly on the chalk — between Stouting and Stourmouth (districts 5, 7). P. minor, L. has been found between Penshurst and Maidstone, as well as near Eastwell, Nackington, Wye and Stouting. Hypopitys Monotropa, Crantz (yellow birds'-nest) grows locally in six divisions. Plumbagine^. — Var. pyramidalis, Syme of Statice Limonium, L. (sea lavender), which is common, occurs at Northfleet, Cuxton and near Sheerness ; S. rariflora, Drejer being apparently confined to dis- trict 3. S. auriculafolia, Vahl, fairly plentiful on the south coast, also grows at Ramsgate, Margate, in Harty Isle and about Sheerness. Primulace^. — Hottonia palustris, L. (water violet) is frequent. Anagallis arvensis, L., var. carnea (Schrank) has been seen at Higham, Shepherd's Well, Aylesford and Hawkhurst. A. ccerulea, Schreb. (blue