BOTANY At Wytham there is a bush of R. agrestis, Savi., and in the Loddon district R. sty/osa, Desv., is rather common as the var. systy/a, Bast., and is often a very beautiful plant. The sweet briar (R. Eglanteria, L.) is more frequent on the chalk, and it is curious to note that while the clays and chalk yield a curiously unvarying bramble flora, yet on these formations we meet with most variation in the roses. jR. obtusifolia and its variety tomentella are somewhat widely distributed, and many forms grouped under R. verticil lacantba are found. Near Winkfield I saw a plant of R. Deseglisei, which I have placed as a variety of R. sarmentacea, Woods. I am under great indebtedness to M. Crepin for kindly examin- ing my roses. THE VASCULAR CRYPTOGAMS THE CLUBMOSSES (Lycopodiace*) The three recorded species (L. inundatum, L. Selago and L,. c/avatum are all very local and the two latter very rare, and are confined to the Bagshot sands of the Kennet and Loddon districts. THE HORSETAILS (Equisetum) Five species are found, and with the exception of E. sylvaticum, absent from the Isis district, are widely distributed. E. maximum is a handsome species and is especially fond of a wet, sheltered situation at the base of a porous formation where the water is thrown out by the clay at its juncture. A hybrid, E. litorale, should be sought for in the neighbourhood of Sandhurst, as it occurs near our county in Surrey. THE PILLWORT (Marsiliacea) One species only is known as British, and this (Pilularia globulifera) has a very restricted range with us, being confined to the Bagshot sands near Sandhurst, but may easily be passed over from its small size and place of growth. THE FERNS (Ft/ices) Although we have twenty species recorded, yet, with the exception of the bracken, Berkshire is but poorly represented. Even such com- mon ferns of the west of England as the hart's tongue, Scolopendrium (Pbyllitis vu/garis), and Asplenium Trichomanes and A. Adiantum-nigrum are scarce ; while our woodlands are being ravaged to such an extent that Dryopteris montana (Lastrea Oreof ten's) has been extirpated from the Isis and Ock districts. How long is this wholesale depredation of the roots of plants to go on unchecked by legislation ? is a question the field naturalist is asking. Three other species, Botrycbium, Osmunda and Tbe- /yf ten's, are also being gradually exterminated. In one sheltered trench on the Bagshot sands the beech fern (Phegopteris) still luxuriates. May it long remain undetected by the marauder. 63
