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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Owing to disturbance of the soil in road-making, a number
of casuals have appeared ; such are Coronilla varia, with wide-
spreading prostrate branches and long-stalked umbels of mauve
and white flowers ; Potentilla norvegica, with erect stems and pale
yellow flowers, Hemlock, growing 6 feet high, and great
bushes of the fragrant yellow-flowered Melilotus officinalis.
In a corner of waste ground among elm suckers is a colony of
White Bryony : a young tuberous root, about a foot long, which
I dug up, had a curiously impish appearance, with its long yellowish
branches and odd curves, due in part perhaps to meeting with
pebbles in the soil ; it recalled the fact that in many country-
parts of England the plant is called "Mandrake," and the root
used to be substituted by unscrupulous herbalists for the true
Mandrake of South Europe (Mandragora officinalis Nat. Ord.
Solanaceae), whose roots were supposed to resemble the human
form and were reputed to possess important medicinal
properties.
C. Graveyard of St. Mary's Church.
This lies to the north of the site of Wanstead House, and
its older, more northern portion has probably been enclosed as
a graveyard for at least two hundred years. In its grounds are
some tall Elms and Sycamores, a fine Norway Maple (height
51 feet, girth 5 feet 5 inches) and nine species of Conifer; some of
these are now dwindling from being exposed to west winds and
London smoke ; a prostrate shrub of the Savin Juniper, seven
feet across, is entirely healthy. Amongst the old gravestones
grow Herb Robert, Teazel and Foxglove, and festoons of White
Bryony climb eight feet or more high among yews and evergreen
shrubs : these include Arbutus, Bay and Portugal Laurel : until
recently handsome plants of Yucca gloriosa grew opposite the
west end of the church and bloomed simultaneously one year,
but they have now disappeared.
G. Wanstead Golf Links.
These surround the Basin pond and are railed off from
Overton Drive. Only the outer fringe of the links was visited
by us. Most of it is covered with old turf, but where this has
been disturbed a few interesting casuals have appeared. The