NOTES ON ALIEN AND CASUAL PLANTS. 215
in the sunshine amongst a medley of small plants, with the
casual, Crupina vulgaris, which looks like a cross between a
Catchfly and a Knapweed, and Vicia pannonica var. striata,
a vetch with remarkably hairy, stout and short pods, But, so
far, the best locality about here has proved to be an estate near
Woodford Wells, to which I paid a passing visit in the early
autumn of 1905, and quickly recognised it as a very paradise
for the botanist, being not only a "casual" ward, but a dumping
ground for "aliens" into the bargain. There is only one road
on this estate, one end of which was apparently a small orchard.
Here I found on one side of the made roadway, and bordering
it, a belt of lime-covered soil, on which was growing a perfect
forest of Upright Goosefoot (Chenopodium urbicum) with a few
examples of the alien, Gold-of-Pleasure (Camelina foetida), and
some climbing Buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus), a casual,
interspersed. Further along, in a small belt of trees, were a
good many low bushy plants of Black Nightshade (Solanum
nigrum). On the other side of the road was a mixed growth,
amongst which the colonist, Corn Cockle (Lychnis githago)
predominated ; one or two Blue-Bottles (Centaurea cyanus), a
plant of Corn Spurrey (Spergula arvensis), Buckwheat (Fago-
pyrum esculentum), all of which are casuals, and one specimen
of Blitum capitatum, an alien species, were also observed. The
last named is remarkable, and perhaps unique, as being of un-
known origin, its native country not having yet been ascertained,
I understand. There was also the branched upright-growing
form of Knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), some 18 inches or more
in height, and a little further along was a large patch of Marsh
Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum), some of the plants being
large and very spreading. Beyond this again was a regular
jungle, the bulk of which consisted of common and Pale-flowered
Persicarias (P. Persicaria and P. lapathi folium), Docks, Knot-
grass, White Goosefoot and Spear Plume-Thistles (Cnicus
lanceolatus).
Amongst these, however, were noticed the following casuals :
Common and Common Red Hemp-nettles (Galeopsis tetrahit
and G. angustifolia) and Bladder, Night-flowering and White
Campions ; also the alien, Pale Yellow Woundwort (Stachys
annua), the casual, Grey Madwort (Alyssum incanum), each
represented by several specimens, and one plant of Ox-eye