Page:VCH Derbyshire 1.djvu/94

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A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE to the county boundary and to a line drawn north and south through Bolsover. These strata form division IV. of the county flora. A shallow layer of coal measures lies on the west of the Peak between New Mills and Mellor, and there is a small area of the same in the south- east of the county, being an extension of the Leicestershire coalfield, which runs up here to Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Newhall and about Hartshorne, between Southwood and Scaddows near Calke. Botanically the coal measures are the least interesting ; they can scarcely be said to possess a distinctive flora, though there are several species which are noticeable for their prevalence on them. The few plants which have been found only in this division are Rubus pallidus, Weihe ; jR. Marshall^ Rogers ; Senecio viscosus, Linn. ; Alopecurusfufous, Sm. The magnesian limestone (Permian), extending from Ault Huck- nall and Pleasley by Bolsover and Barlborough northwards, forms division V. of the county flora. It is a westward extension of the Permian system from Yorkshire and Notts. It lies at a much lower elevation than the mountain limestone, and like that formation has dales on its borders, viz. three, Markland Grips, Cresswell Crags and Pleasley Park. It shares its flora with the mountain limestone, but there are special features belonging to it which give its flora a character of its own, as is shown in the accompanying list : Helleborus viridis. Linn. ; Arabis birsuta, Br. ; Heliantbemum vu/gare, Gaertn. ; Viola hirta, Linn. ; Galium mo//ugo, Linn, (abundant, rare elsewhere) ; Erigeron acre^ Linn. ; Inula Conyza, DC. ; Cnicus acau/is, Hoffm. ; Campanula 'Tracbelium, Linn. ; *Galeopsis Ladanum, Linn. ; Taxus baccata, Linn. ; *Epipactis palustris, Crantz. (now only known here, though there are old records for its occurrence on other formations) ; Orchis pyramidalis, Linn. ; Ophrys musctfera, Huds. ; Eriopborum latifolium, Hoppe ; *Carex montana, Linn. ; Avena pratensis, Linn. ; Ka/eria cristata, Pers. ; Bromus erectus, Huds. ; Brachypodium pinnatum^ Beauv. (abundant, rare elsewhere). The next in order is the series of the trias or new red sandstone, which occupies the south of the county, with the exception of some outliers and patches of other strata occurring here and there which have been mentioned above. There are two main beds : the bunter yellow or red sandstone, with quartzose pebbles frequently conglomerate, in a narrow strip between Ashbourne and Mugginton, between Ednaston and Brailsford, between Morley and Breadsall, and between Foremark and Bretby Park, the keuper red marls and waterstones occupying the remainder of the area. The broken character of the surface is much increased by the numerous faults which occur, rendering the assignment of divisions to bunter and keuper respectively impracticable. Still, the area allotted to division VI. (viz. all west of a line drawn from Derby southwards and north of the Trent and Dove) is at a higher average elevation and colder than the other two divisions, and is marked by the absence of such plants as Silene noctiflora, bryony (B. dioica), teazle (Dipsacus si/vestrts), water violet (Hottonia), Festuca myurus. Division VII., the area east of Derby and north of the Trent, 42