Dear Sir,In a district so diversified with such a variety of hill and dale, aspects, and soils, it is no wonder that great choice of plants should be found. Chalks, clays, sands, sheep-walks and downs, bogs, heaths, woodlands, and champaign fields, cannot but furnish an ample flora. The deep rocky lanes abound with filices, and the pastures and moist woods with fungi. If in any branch of botany we may seem to be wanting, it must be in the large aquatic plants, which are not to be expected on a spot far removed from rivers, and lying up amidst the hill country at the spring heads. To enumerate all the plants that have been discovered within our limits would be a needless work; but a short list of the more rare, and the spots where they are to be found, may be neither unacceptable nor unentertaining:
Helleborus foetidus, stinking hellebore, bear's foot, or setterworth, -- all over the High-wood and Coney-croft-hanger: this continues a great branching plant the winter through, blossoming about January, and is very ornamental in shady walks and shrubberies.
The good women give the leaves powdered to children troubled with worms; but it is a violent remedy, and ought to be administered with caution.
Helleborus viridis, green hellebore, -- in the deep stony lane on the left hand just before the turning to Norton-farm, and at the top of Middle Dorton under the hedge: this plant dies down to the ground early in autumn, and springs again about February, flowering almost as soon as it appears above ground.
Vaccinium oxycoccos, creeping bilberries or cranberries, -- in the bogs of Bin's-pond.
Vaccinium myrtillus, whortle, or bleaberries, -- on the dry hillocks of Wolmer-forest.
Drosera rotundifolia, round-leaved sun-dew. Drosera longifolia, long-leaved ditto. In the bogs of Bin's-pond.
Comarum palustre, purple comarum, or marsh cinquefoil, -- in the bogs of Bin's-pond.
Hypericon androsaemum, tutsan, St. John's wort, -- in the stony, hollow lanes.
Vinca minor, less periwinkle, -- in Selborne Hanger and Shrubwood.
Monotropa hypopithys, yellow monotropa, or bird's nest, -- in Selborne Hanger under the shady beeches, to whose roots it seems to be parasitical -- at the north-west end of the Hanger.
Chlora perfoliata, Blackstonia perfoliata, Hudsoni, perfoliated yellow-won, -- on the banks in the King's-field.
Paris quadrifolia, herb Paris, true-love, or one-berry, -- in the Church Litten coppice.
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, opposite golden saxifrage, -- in the dark and rocky hollow lanes.
Gentiana amarella, autumnal gentian or fellwort, -- on the Zig-zag and Hanger;Lathraea squamaria, tooth-wort, -- in the Church Litten coppice under some hazels near the foot-bridge, in Trimming's garden-hedge, and on the dry wall opposite Grange-yard.
Dipsacus pilosus, small teasel, -- in the Short and Long Lith.
Lathyrus sylvestris, narrow-leaved, or wild lathyrus, -- in the bushes at the foot of the Short Lith, near the path.
Ophrys spiralis, ladies' traces, -- in the Long Lith, and towards the south-corner of the common.
Ophrys nidus avis, birds' nest ophrys, -- in the Long Lith under the shady beeches among the dead leaves; in Great Dorton among the bushes, and on the Hanger plentifully.
Serapias latifolia, helleborine, -- in the High-wood under the shady beeches.
Daphne laureola, spurge laurel, -- in Selborne Hanger and the High-wood.
Daphne mezereum, the mezereon, -- in Selborne Hanger among the shrubs at the south-east end above the cottages.
Lycoperdon tuber, truffles, -- in the Hanger and High-wood.
Sambucus ebulus, dwarf elder, walwort, or danewort, -- among the rubbish and ruined foundations of the Priory.
Of all the propensities of plants none seem more strange than their different periods of blossoming. Some produce their flowers in the winter, or very first dawnings of spring; many when the spring is established; some at midsummer, and some not till autumn. When we see the helleborus foetidus and helleborus niger blowing at Christmas, the helleborus hyemalis in January, and the helleborus viridis as soon as ever it emerges out of the ground, we do not wonder, because they are kindred plants that we expect should keep pace the one with the other. But other congenerous vegetables differ so widely in their time of flowering that we cannot but admire. I shall only instance at present in the crocus sativus, the vernal, and the autumnal crocus, which have such an affinity, that the best botanists only make them varieties of the same genus, of which there is only one species; not being able to discern any difference in the corolla, or in the internal structure. Yet the vernal crocus expands its flowers by the beginning of March at farthest, and often in very rigorous weather; and cannot be retarded but by some violence offered: -- while the autumnal (the saffron) defies the influence of the spring and summer, and will not blow till most plants begin to fade and run to seed. This circumstance is one of the wonders of the creation, little noticed, because a common occurrence: yet ought not to be overlooked on account of its being familiar, since it would be as difficult to be explained as the most stupendous phaenomenon in nature.
Say, what impels, amidst surrounding snow, Congealed, the crocus' flamy bud to grow?
Say, what retards, amidst the summer's blaze, Th' autumnal bulb till pale, declining days ?
The GOD of SEASONS; whose pervading power Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower:
He bids each flower His quickening word obey;Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay.
Letter XLII
To The Honourable Daines BarringtonOmnibus animalibus reliquis certus et uniusmodi, et in suo cuique genere incessus est: aves solae vario meatu feruntur, et in terra, et in aere. -PLIN. Hist. Nat. lib. x. cap. 38.
Selborne, Aug. 7, 1778.
