Page:VCH Kent 1.djvu/112

 A HISTORY OF KENT stations in districts i to 8 ; M. /ongifo/m, Huds. {sylvestris, L., horse mint) occurs in all the divisions, sometimes freely ; and M. sativa, L. (a series of hybrids between arvemis and hirsutd) is not uncommon. M. piperita^ L. (peppermint) has been found about Deal, Luton, Headcorn, Boxley and Rolvenden ; M. rubra, Sm. at Keston, Faversham (casual) and Sturry ; M. gentilis, L. only by the Medway below Tonbridge. The recorded stations of M. Pulegium, L. (pennyroyal) are Chislehurst Common, Lewis- ham, Bickley, Dartford, Ospringe (near Faversham) and Dover. Origanum vulgare, L. (marjoram), var. megastachyum (Link) is a speciality of the undercliff near Folkestone. Thymus Chameedrys, Fr., as yet comparatively little known, is probably general on dry soils. Calamintha parvijlora. Lam. (C. Nepeta, Clairv.) occurs in districts i to 8 ; and is sometimes abundant, though far less general than C. officinalis, Moench (common calamint) ; C. syhatica, Bromf has also been reported from near Wye, but we have seen no Kentish specimen. Melissa officinalis, L. (balm) may be found naturalized here and there. Salvia pratensis, L. (meadow clary) is native about Cobham and Cuxton, near Hartlip, and between West Mailing and Wrotham ; casual or sporadic at Whitstable and Ryarsh, and extinct at Mersham Hatch. Nepeta Cataria, L. (cat mint), recorded from every district except i o, is rather common on the chalk ; Scutel- laria minor, Huds. (lesser skullcap) being scarce outside districts 8, 9. Melittis Melissophyllum, L. (bastard balm) may perhaps be truly wild in its solitary station between Penshurst and Maidstone. Marrubium vulgare, L. (horehound), though not very rare, is usually an evident escape ; while Stachys germanica, L., formerly found near Darenth and Lyminge, has not been obtained lately. S. annua, L. used to occur in fields near Gadshill and Strood ; it has also been met with abundantly on the open downs near Trottescliffe, as well as near Sevenoaks, and may quite possibly be a native. Galeopsis dubia. Leers {yillosa, Huds.) was formerly found in the neighbourhood of Dartford ; G. speciosa. Miller {versicolor. Curt.) has been observed only on eight occasions. Leonurus Cardiaca, L. (motherwort) has occurred, doubtless a mere escape, at Woodchurch, Ospringe and Saltwood. hamium hybridum, L. is locally plentiful in sandy ground. Teucrium Botrys, L. has a single station on the downs above Upper Hailing ; whereas Ajuga Chamcepitys, Schreb. is frequent on chalk, particularly in district 2. Plantagine^. — Littorella juncea. Berg, (shore weed) is remarkably rare, being only found at Brabourne and Dungeness. Chenopodiace^. — Chenopodiufu poly sper mum, L., abundant in district I, is frequent off the chalk ; while C. Vulvaria, L., though local, mainly haunts the tidal rivers and coast, like C. Jicifolium, Sm. and C murale, L. C. hybridum, L. and C. urbicum, L. are rather rare. C. botryodes, Sm. only grows in the Thames salt marshes and near Sandwich ; and C. glaucum, L. in two or three spots near London. Atriplex laciniata, L. is restricted to the shores of districts 3, 4, 5, 10 ; A. pedunculata, L. to the neighbourhood of Gravesend, Heme Bay and Sandwich. Of the glassworts, Salicornia stricta, Dum. is common ; S. procumbens, Sm. and 62