Page:VCH Northamptonshire 1.djvu/97

 BOTANY sons {/HUum ursinum), the small reed [Calamagrostis epigeios), the great horsetail [Equisetum maximum), the hemlock [Conium maculatum), the teasel {Dipsacus syhestris), and the creeping dog rose {Rosa arvensis). Heath plants are practically absent, although a few plants of the hair grass {fiachampiia flexuosd) occur on a small gravel-covered spot on Wakefield Lawn. Orchids are rare, but I once found a specimen of the fly orchis {Ophrys muscifera) in a coppice now destroyed, and the true butterfly orchis [Hahenaria bifolia) with the larger species [H. chloroleuca) and the purple hcUeborine [Epipacth violacea) occur. The herb Paris {Paris quadrifolia), the adder's-tongue fern {Ophioglossum vulgatum), the lady's mantle {Alchemilla vulgaris, var. filicaulis), the melic grass {Melica unifiora), the wood poa {Poa nemoralis), the upright bedstraw {Galium erectum), the violet {yiola Reichenbachiana), the eyebright {Euphrasia nemorosa) and the great burdock {Arctium majus) are to be found ; and the hautbois strawberry {Fragaria muricata. Miller ; elatior, Ehrh.) is naturalized. A coppice near Towcester, which probably at one time was a part of the forest, has the Solomon's seal {Polygonatum midtiflorum) and the spurge laurel {Daphne Laureola). The orna- mental water on Wakefield Lawn yields the pondweed {Potamogeton obtusifolius), the horned pondweed {Ceraiophyllum demersum), the cyperus sedge {Carex Pseudo-cyperus), the acute sedge (C. acuta), the horsetail {Equisetum Hmosum) and other water plants. Near Brackley, the name of which by some authorities is supposed to ha e been derived from the bracken or brake fern (P/mj ayw/V/ra), there is a small heathy tract known as Brackley Gorse where the furze {Ulex europitus) is plentiful, but it may have been intentionally planted for cover ; here, too, are the willows {Salix rubra, S. triandra and S. purpurea), the hybrid dock {Rumex acutus), the small dandelion {Taraxacum lavigatum), a variety of the chickweed {Ceras- tium viscosum, var. apetalum), the heath stitchwort {Stellaria graminea), the marsh lady's fingers {Lotus uliginosus), the cudweed {Filago germanica), the raspberry {Rubus idaus), the scorpion grass {Myosotis versicolor) and the hairy sedge {Carex hirta), the latter in sandy ground probably where the Lias clay is near to the Northampton sands on which this Brackley Gorse is situated. Whistley Wood covers a part of the Great Oolite, which is thickly obscured by clay and gravel drift, and shows by its flora the variability of the soil, for there are the small reed {Calamagrostis epigeios), the teasel {Dipsacus sylvestris), and other species characteristic of clay, and the hawkweeds {Hieracium boreale and H. umbellatum), the large wood rush {Juncoidei [Luzula] sylvaticum), the melic grass {Melica uniflora), the upright St. John's wort {Hypericum pulchrum), and other species which are fond of gravelly soils. Here too occur the bitter-vetch {Lathyrus montanus, formerly known as Orobus tuberosus), the cow-wheat {Melampyrum pratense), the bird's-nest orchis {Neottia Nidus-avis), the helleborine {Epipactis latifolia), the woodruff {Asperula odorata), the great burnet saxifrage {Pimpinella major, both as the type, as the variety dissecta, and as the form rosea), the Canterbury bell {Campanula Trachelium), the yellow archangel {Lamium Galeobdolon), the agrimony {Agrimonia odorata), the brambles {Rubus Lindleianus, R. dasyphyllus, R. Radula, var. anglicanus, and one of the suberect forms not yet identified). Near Wappenham, where the Great Oolite comes nearer to the surface, the lady's traces {Gyrostachis [Spiranthes] autumnalis) has been found associated with the quinancy wort {Asperula cynanchica). In the hedgerows near Tifl^eld the beautiful throatwort {Campanula latifolia) is to be found. Marshes and bogs are very rare, but near Cosgrove the canal margins have probably some peat deposits, as the tufted sedge {Carex paniculata) is plentiful and the marsh stitchwort {Stellaria palustris) is conspicuous from it glaucous foliage. In the shallow water grow the mare's-tail {Hippuris vulgaris) and the small club-rush {Eleocharis acicularis). The sides of the Grand Junction Canal which traverse the district give a home for some interesting species, among them being the bitter-cress {Cardamine amara) and the graceful wood club-rush {Scirpus sylvaticus). The pondweeds include P. compressum {zosteri/olius) P. Friesii, and the grass Panicularia {Glyceria) pedicellaia, which is probably a hybrid of P. fiuitans, and P. plicata, also occur. The river Ouse near Old Stratford affords the sweet flag {Acorus Calamus), the narrow- leaved reed mace {Typha angustifolia), both species of water lilies and abundance of the water horst-h^ne {CEnanthefluviatilis),X.h.t latter so characteristic of all the Northamptonshire streams. The great spearwort {Ranunculus Lingua) formerly grew near Stratford and may yet be refound. The sedge {Carex acuta) is luxuriant and very variable, while the meadow cranesbill {Geranium pratense) is not rare. The arable fields, where the Oolite comes near the surface, have plenty of the shepherd's looking-glass {Specularia [Lcgousia] hybrida), the corn gromwell {Lithospermum arvense), and occa- sionally the pale poppy {Papaver Lecoqii). Where gravel predominates we may find fluellen 63