HISTORY OF ESSEX BOTANY.
171
ceived) and it is of a darke purple colour . . . The leaues are long and
narrow, resembling Linaria both in colour and hairinesse." [Convolvulus
arvensis L.?]
It must be admitted that this description and, still less, the
figures that accompany it in Gerard and in Johnson's edition do
not quite suggest any British convolvulus. To Gerard's state-
ment, "All these kindes of Bindweeds do grow very plentifully in
most parts of England," Johnson adds the qualification (Ger.
em. p. 863). ''The third and fourth excepted," which may be
taken as a denial of their occurrence at all. Parkinson, however,
in his Paradisus terrestris (1629), p. 359, writes :—"Convolvulus
purpureus spicae folius. Lavender-leafed Bindeweede
groweth wilde in the fields, about Dunmowe in Essex," which is
repeated by How in his Phytologia (p. 31), whilst Parkinson
further in his Theatrum Botanicum, pp. 171-2, uses the same
figure as Johnson and writes :—"3. Convolvulus spicae folius.
Lavender leafed Bindeweede. This small bindeweede is as
great a plague to the fields, where it naturally groweth as the
last ; the leaves are long and narrow, resembling Lavender, and
the flowers of a deepe purple colour, wherein it differeth from
others, for else it is like the last." Merrett in his Pinax, p. 29,
adopts Gerard's locality and adds "in Tuddington field." This
justifies the statement by the authors of the Flora cf Middlesex
(p. 188) that "A very narrow leaved form [of C. arvensis] was dis-
tinguished by the older observers," and they add a reference to
"C. arvensis minimus about London" from Buddie's MSS. These
old references explain the characteristic note by Newbould in
Gibson's Flora (p. 206). "The varieties of this plant deserve
attention." This plant may well be the Convolvulus angustissima
folio cum auriculis of Plukenet, Almagest. 116. Tab. 24. fig. 3, and
the Convolvulus arvensis minimus of Dent in Ray's Synopsis, ed. ii.,
157, from Harlton, Cambridgeshire, for which C. C. Babington
keeps up the varietal name minimus in his Flora of Cambridgeshire,
p. 153.
p. 739. " Viorna. The Trauellers Ioy . . in many places of Essex."
[Clematis vitalba L.]
p. 759. " Ruscus, siue Bruscus, Knee-holme, or Butchers broome . .
in diuers places of Kent, Essex, and Barkshire, almost in euery copse and
low wood." [Ruscus aculeatus L.]
p. 789. " Althaea Ibiscus. Marsh Mallow, . . groweth very plenti-
fully in the marshes both on the Kentish and Essex shore alongst the riuer of
Thames, about . . . Tilburie, Lee, Colchester, Harwich, and in most
salt marshes about London.' [Althaea officinalis L. The first British record]