Page:VCH Northamptonshire 1.djvu/104

 A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE the willow herb [Epilobium angustifo/ium), the heath bedstraw {Galium hercynicum), the penny- wort {Hydrocotyle vulgaris), the thistle {Carduus tenuiflorus), now probably extinct, the cudweeds {Gnaphalium germanicum and G. sy/vaticum), the blue fleabane {Erigeron acre), the heath groundsel {Senecio sylvaticus), the woolly-headed thistle [Cnicus eriophorus), the cotton thistle (Onopordon Acanthium), the Leontodon hirtum, the heaths {Calluna Erica, Erica cinerea and E. Tetralix), the viper's bugloss {Echium vulgare), the scorpion grasses (Afyosotis cespitosa, M. versicolor, and M. collina), the heath dodder {Cmcuta Epithymum), the foxglove {Digitalis purpurea), the mulleins {Ferbascum virgatum and F. Thapsus), the speedwell [Veronica officinalis), the wood sage {Teucrium Scorodonia), the pennyroyal [Mentha Pulegium), the bog pimpernel [Jnagallis tenella), the birch [Betula alba), the Scotch fir [Pinus sylvestris) [planted], the rushes [Juncus squarrosus and jf. hulbosus or "J. supinus), the sedges [Carex pilulifcra, C. leporina and C. panicea), the grasses [Anthoxanthum aristatum var. Puelii, Agrostis pumila, A. canina, Deschampsia flexuosa, Aira pracox, A. caryophyllea, Sieglingia decumbens, Fcstuca Myurus, F. sciuroides, F. ovina), and the ferns [Lomaria Spicant, Athyrium Filix-foemina, Polystichum aculeatum, Dryopteris [Lastrea) spinulosa and D. dilatata, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Phyllitis Scolopendrium, Asplenium Adiantum- nigrum), the moon wort [Botrychium Lunaria), and the field club-moss [Lycopodium clavatum), besides other interesting species. Hunsbury Hill, capped with Northampton sands, although now under cultivation, affords or has afforded the mousetail [Myosurus minimus), the Dane wort [Sambucus Ebulus), the darnel [Lolium temulentum), and the sheep's fescue [Festuca ovina), but the ironstone quarries have much diminished the best botanizing ground. The red mint [Mentha rubra), and the marsh stitchwort [Stellaria palustris) have been found in wet ground at the base. The reservoir near Drayton has the rushes [Juncus obtusiflorus and J. compressus), the water chickweed [Cerastium aquaticum), the cress [Roripa [Nasturtium'] palustris), the marsh bedstraw [Galium uUginosum), the pondweeds [Potamogeton natans and P. polygonifolius), and other species. Daventry reservoir is bordered with a local grass [Alopecurus fulvus) ; the marsh orchis [Ophrys latifolia),tihe narrow-leaved reed mace [Typha angustifolia), the water mio'[Myriophyllum spicatum), the pondweed [Potamogeton decipiens, and P. lucens var. acuminatus) have also been gathered there. Plain Woods, near Blisworth, afford the true downy rose [Rosa villosa or R. mollis), the saw wort [Serratula tinctoria), the cow wheat [Melampyrum pratense), the columbine [Aquilegia vulgaris) and the autumnal gentian [Gentiana Amarella), and the hedges near have Rosa glauca Vill., R. ccEsia, Sm. [R. coriifoUa, Fries.), R. mollissima, Willd. [R. tomentosa, Sm.), with the varieties scabriuscula (Sm.) and sylvestris (Lindl.). Salcey Forest and the neighbourhood of Quinton and Courteenhall yield that graceful pendulous sedge [Carex pendula), the yellow star of Bethlehem [Gagea fascicularis), the bell flowers [Campanula Trachelium and C. glomerata), the spurge laurel [Daphne Laureola), the leopard's bane [Doronicum Pardalianches) but not native, the fly orchis [Ophrys muscifera), the wild tulip [Tulipa sylvestris), the cinquefoil [Potentilla sylvestris), and the great burnet saxifrage [Pimpinella major). A pond in a quarry near Northampton has the great spearwort [Ranunculus Lingua), and that beautiful sedge [Carex Pseudo-cyperus), and the ditches near yield the peppermint [Mentha piperita), and the grey sedge [Carex divulsa). The river side and meadows near Northampton and Kingsthorpe are or were the place of growth of the snake's head [Fritillaria Meleagris), the meadow saffron [Colchicum autumnale), the dropwort [CEnanthe fistulosa), the marsh stitchwort [Stellaria palustris), Samolus Valerandi and Scirpus sylvaticus, and of the meadow cranesbill [Geranium pratense), and the bur marigolds [Bidens cernua and B. tripartita). Some of the walls near Brampton have the navel wort [Cotyledon Umbilicus), the white stonecrop [Scdum album), and the hedge banks have the round-leaved cranesbill [Geranium rotundifolium). The neighbourhood also affords the white-flowered helleborine [Cephalanthera pallens), the meadow dropwort [Spiraa Filipendula), and the grass [Holcus mollis). The ironstone quarries have several species more or less native, these include the worm- wood [Artemisia Absinthium), the white mignonette [Reseda alba), the poppy [Papaver somni- ferum), the parsley [Petroselinum sativum), the feverfew [Chrysanthemum Parthenium), the cotton thistle [Onopordon Acanthium), the vervain [Ferbena officinalis), and the narrow-leaved vetch [Ficia angustifolia). Among the adventitious species introduced either by wool-washing or from the winnow- ings of corn are Medicago arabica, M. denticulata, TrifoUum resupinatum, Couringia orientalis, and Erodium moschatum. 70