Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/91

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BOTANY (Specu/aria hybrida), the toadflaxes Linaria E/atine, L. spuria, L. viscida, and the calamint (Calamintha arvensis). The heathy district near Leighton Buzzard, Woburn and Aspley affords a completely different flora from the Chalk. Here occur in open places the cress Teesdalia nudicaulis, the pearl-wort (Sagina cilia ta), the sand-wort (Buda or Armaria rubra), the St. John worts {Hypericum bumifusum and H. pul- chrum), the scorpion grass (Myosotis collina and M. versicolor), the wood pea (Lathyrus montanus), the buck's horn (Plantago Coronopus), the clovers Trifolium arvense and T. striatum, the sheep's scabious (Jasione montana), the climbing fumitory (Capnoides claviculata), the cudweeds Gna- phalium sylvaticum and Filago minima, the chickweed (Cerastium semidecandrum), the hemlock- leaved stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium), the silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), the crane's- bill (Geranium pusillum), the hawkweeds Hieracium umbellatum and H. boreale, the golden rod (Solidago Virgaurea), the dog violet (Viola canina), the grasses Molinia varia, Agrostis canina, Descbampsia flexuosa, Aira caryopbyllea, A. pracox, Festuca ovina and var. paludosa, F. sciuroides, the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), the grass Poa pratensis var. subcoerulea, the sedge Carex pilulifera, and the musk mallow (Malva moschata var. heterophylla). The cultivated ground on this light soil yields the small succory (Arnoseris minima), the corn camomile (Chrysanthemum segetum), the spurrey (Spergula sativa), the grass Bromus secalinus, the bird's-foot (Ornithopus perpusillus), the saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria), etc. The woods and bushy portion have, in addition to the planted pines and larch, a native growth of huckleberry (Vaccinium Myrtillus), heather (Calluna Erica), the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), the aspen (Populus tremula), the grasses Molinia varia and Poa nemoralis, the wood rush (Luzula maxima or Juncoides sylvaticum), the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), and the fern Lomaria Spicant. The boggy parts yield the local sedge, Carex canescens, the bog pimpernel (Anaga/lis tenella), the marsh bedstraw (Galium uliginosum), the sedges Carex echinata, C. fiava var. minor, the biting persicaria (Polygonum Hydropiper), the blinks (Montia fontana as the var. minor), the grass Sieglingia decumbens, the marsh violet (Viola palustris), the rushes Juncus supinus, Juncoides multifiorum and var. erectum, and the grass Molinia varia. On clay soils, as about Cranfield, Salford, etc., we have the graceful sedge Carex pendula, not only by hedges but in the woodlands, where also occur the spurge laurel (Daphne Laureola), the small burdock (Arctium minus), the water elder (Viburnum Opulus), the grass Calamagrostis Epigeios, the violet Viola Reichenbachiana, the grass Milium effusum, the cow wheat (Melampyrum pratense), the gromwell (Lithospermum officinale), etc. The riverside vegetation includes Epilobium roseum, E. obscurum and a hybrid of the two, the winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris var. divaricata), the sedge Carex paludosa (which is probably Abbot's C. acuta), C. riparia, etc. ; the willows Salix triandra, S. Smithiana, S. cinerea, S. caprea, S. purpurea, S. viminalis ; the orach (Atriplex deltoidea), the water chickweed (Stel- laria aquatica) ; the black poplar (Populus nigra) is not uncommon, and P. canescens and P. alba occur, but all as planted trees. The maple (Acer campestre) is very frequent and is often a good sized tree, and is found with glabrous var. leiocarpa, as well as hairy fruit coverings (var. hebecarpa). The wych elm (Ulmus campestris) is not uncommon, but like the common elm ( U. sativa) may be a planted tree. The streams have Potamogeton densus and P. crispum, and Zannichellia palustris. The ponds have Ranunculus heterophyllus, R. peltatus, R. Drouetii and Ceratophyllum. In the pastures the rest harrow (Ononis spinosa) is frequent ; the eyebright (Euphrasia) is almost universally E. nemorosa, and the rattle is Rhinanthus minor. Other plants of the Ouzel district : — Clematis Vitaiba, L. Erophila stenophylla, Jord. Woburn (Druce) Thalictrum flavum, L. Camelina sativa, Craritz. Clover fields near Ranunculus heterophyllus, Web. Woburn Sands, Woburn Sands (Druce) etc. (Druce) Erysimum cheiranthoides, L. Woburn — pseudo-fluitans, forma. Ouzel (J.S.) Diplotaxis muralis, DC, var. Babingtonii. Rail- — divaricatus, Schrank. Aspley (J.S.) way near Woburn Sands (Druce) Myosurus minimis, L. Saiford (Druce) Hesperis matronalis, L. Woburn Sands Berberis vulgaris, L. Woburn Brassica elongata, Ehrh. Casual at Leighton Mill Papaver Lecoqii, Lam. Near Eaton Bray (Druce) (Druce) Viola tricolor, L., var. agrestis (Jord.) Woburn Bun'ias Erucago. Leighton Mill (Druce) (Druce)