208 THE COAST-FLORA OF THE CLACTON DISTRICT.
they grow. Among Scirpus, a very slender form of Atriplex
patula, as well as a singularly frail form of Suaeda maritima,
may be found, indications that the soil is still saline, though only
slightly. I found one circular dip where three zones were very
distinctly visible : at the top Agropyrum repens, then a belt of
Juncus compressus and in the centre Glaux maritima and Plantago
maritima (Sea Plantain). On another depression of the soil
Juncus maritimus could be seen in company with Oenanthe pimpi-
nelloides. In the higher and drier parts such plants as thistles
(Carduus arvensis, C. lanceolatus), Senecio erucifolius, Trifolium
arvense (Hare's-foot Clover), grasses of the ordinary meadow, an
occasional specimen of Bupleurum tenuissifolium (Slender Hare's-
ear), which latter is said to be Halophilous, Silene maritima (Sea
Campion) and Armeria vulgaris (Thrift) may be met with.
Apium graveolens (Sea Celery), Rumex maritimus (Golden
Dock), Scirpus maritimus and others grow in the ditches (behind
sea-walls), filled with brackish water, often together with other
plants that have no connection with the sea. The water, how-
ever, is still distinctly salt by filtration of sea-water through, and
storm splashing over the sea walls.
It would require great labour and ingenuity to explain
fully all these facts of minute zonation, and, perhaps, doubtful
adaptations. Not only present ecological facts would have to
be considered, but historical ones, as the development of the
coast flora would have to be kept in view.
A few words may be added on the vegetation of elevated
places, dams and cliffs, which are entirely out of the reach even
of the highest tides, but are supplied with some salt by the
spray on stormy days. There is not, as far as I can see, any
clear zonation ; but an increasing number of non-halophilous
plants enter into competition and finally suppress halophytes
altogether.
A distinction may be made between the vegetation on fixed
soil, consisting of clay or artificially supported gravel and sand,
and on the other hand the vegetation on the latter materials
unsupported.
On the fixed soil and within reach of storm splashes we notice
Beta maritima, Atriplex portulacoides, Lepidium ruderale, Brassica
muralis, Cochlearia officinalis (Scurvy Grass), Spergularia media
(Sand Spurry) ; among grasses the commonest are : Agropyrum