120
ON THE RANGE OF THE PRIMROSE (PRIMULA
VULGARIS) AND THE BARDFIELD OXLIP
(P. ELATIOR) IN NORTH-WESTERN ESSEX.
By J. FRENCH ; with remarks by MILLER CHRISTY, F.L.S.
[Read March 21st, 1891.]
THERE is a singularity affecting the distribution of these two
species in the above-named locality which is worthy of note.
The primrose grows very rarely, if at all, in the region occupied by
the Bardfield Oxlip, and the southern limit, at least of the latter
species, is very sharply defined.
The northern limit of the primrose and the southern limit of the
Bardfield Oxlip can be traced at least twelve miles, the same line
appearing to define both areas. This line runs nearly due east and
west and lies a little to the north of the high road (the old Roman road)
from Braintree to Bishop's Stortford. Perhaps it is in no case more
than three miles to the north of that road throughout the whole of
the distance from Braintree to Takeley, some sixteen miles. These
two closely allied species have no debatable borderland that I am
aware of throughout that line ; for both species are scarce, if not
altogether absent, in places along the margin of either area. It is
very general to have to step over some three miles for the change
from flora to flora. The cowslip (P. veris) is common to both
areas, and seems to be equally distributed in both.
In the case of the Bardfield Oxlip and primrose, the growth of
one species is not really inimical to the growth of the other; for
both species grow side by side in cottage-gardens. These cottage-
garden plants also show that variations in soil have not influenced
the distribution of the Bardfield Oxlip, for it flourishes equally well in
bog, in alluvial and upland clays, in woods, and in garden soil. At
Great Bardfield, the oxlip principally affects wet meadows by the
river-side and is perhaps driven there also as to a fastness. The
primrose, too, will suffer a large variety of soil without abating its
vigour.
Both species ripen their seeds readily in gardens ; but they do
not appear to do so to the same extent when growing wild. I think
scarcely one per cent, of primrose blooms develop seed in a state of
nature. This would seem to point to the absence of fertilising