238 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
We were fortunate in having with the party many good botanical members,
and records of the plants observed were kept by Prof. Boulger, F.L.S.,
Mr. Fitch, Mr. E. M. Holmes, F.L.S., Mr. David Houston, F.L.S., Mr.
J. C. Shenstone, F.R.M.S., Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, Mr. C. A. Wright, F.L.S.,
and others, and the compiler of this report very gladly acknowledges their
valuable aid. The botanical work began in the Witham railway cutting, where
Calamintha nepeta, which is perhaps the chief Calamint of N. Essex, was
abundant, and it was also noted in plenty on Danbury Hill by the Secretary
and Mr. H. C. Snell, when cycling down to Maldon to attend the meeting.
At Beeleigh, among the many elm trees, whilst most, perhaps, were simply
Ulmus campestris latifolia, were several specimens of that characteristically
Essex form, U. laevis (Spach) carpinifolia (Lindl.) (U. "elegans," Forster MSS.)
On the walls of the Abbey were Sedum reflexum and Centranthus ruber; and
in the yard was the once-cultivated English Mercury, Chenopodium bonus-henricus.
Hazeleigh was very interesting (as Prof. Boulger remarked) as practically an
unworked district, there being but one record from it in Gibson's "Flora of
Essex" ; and, although the majority of plants found were naturally only common
and generally distributed species, the lateness of the season enabled a considerable
number to be got together, especially of woodland forms. Thus, no sooner had we
alighted from the trucks than Linaria spuria was found, and, as we traversed
the lane and fields leading to Hazeleigh Hall, the Corn Crowfoot (Ranunculus
arvensis), with spinous achenes, the Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis),
Euphorbia exigua, and the probable escapes from cultivation, Medicago sativa,
Melilotus officinalis, and M. alba, were noted in flower.
Near Hazeleigh Church a specimen of Agaricus (Lepiota) procerus was
obtained; and on trunks, palings, and the soil in an old orchard, and in parts
of the woodland hard by, Mr. E. M. Holmes and Mr. Houston gathered the
following Lichens and Mosses, which were determined by Mr. Holmes :—
LICHENS.
Calicium hyperellum, Ach.
Evernia prunastri, L.
Parmelia olivacea, L.
P. borreri, Turn.
P. saxatilis, L.
P. aleurites, Ach. On palings.
P. perlata, L.
P. reticulata, Tayl. On trees.
P. caperata, L. On trees.
Physcia erosa, Borr. In orchard.
Ph. parietina, L. In orchard.
Ph. pulverulenta, Schreb.
Ph. tenclla, Scop.
Lecanora varia, Ehrh.
Pertusaria faginea, L.
P. globifera, Turn.
Lecidea ostreata, Hffm. Off palings.
L. canescens, Dcks. In fruit;
orchard.
L. parasema, Ach. In the or-
chard.
Verrucaria nigrescens, Pers.
Mr. Holmes remarks that the neighbourhood of Maldon would probably repay
a careful search by a lichenologist; the species enumerated being found during
a somewhat hurried ramble. The occurrence of Lecidea canescens in fruit
indicates that the condition of the atmosphere is suitable for the development of
lichens.
The mosses enumerated by no means represent the number that might be
easily collected, but consist only of those which were observed while looking
for lichens, or which the peculiarity of the ground passed over suggested as likely
to occur, and which were then found :—