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THE ESSEX NATURALIST
SOME INTERESTING LEGUMINOUS PLANTS OF SOUTH
ESSEX v.-c. 18
BY S. T. JERMYN
IN the vicinity of Southend there are many different species of the family
Leguminosae, some classified as rare for the country. Space would not
permit mention of all the species in this family which are to be found but I
will select some of the older recorded plants and some of the more recent
introductions.
Gibson in his Flora of Essex, records Lathyrus hirsutus L. growing at
Hadleigh Castle, where it was first observed in 1666. There are specimens
in the British Museum from south Essex dated 1775 and 1821. The last
specimen collected at Hadleigh Castle in my herbarium is dated 1933. It
still grows, however, a little to the west, on the slopes at Benfleet, and I am
glad to say it is well established. The distinguishing features of this plant
are the one pair of linear-lanceolate leaflets, the bright red flowers and the
small hairy seed pod.
Another Gibson record "of the slopes west of the pier" is Vicia bithynica
L. I have found this plant on the slopes at Leigh and at Benfleet. The
flowers are very attractive, growing solitary or in pairs, and are bluish purple
with paler wings. There are two pairs of leaflets with rather broad-toothed
stipules.
Mention must be made of the famous Fyfield Pea, Lathyrus tuberosus
L. which grows at Hockley. It is too well known to Essex botanists to need
any description here but I must include it in interesting plants of this area.
To the railway has been attributed the spread from Oxford of Senecio
squalidus L. and I suspect the same medium for the occurrence in this locality
of the shrub Colutea arborescens L.—the Bladder Senna. I have observed
it along the railway line above Barking, where no doubt it was planted, and
now it occurs at several places down the line between East Horndon and
Leigh. The leaflets of this plant have purgative qualities like those of senna
and it is readily distinguishable by its membranous bladder-like seed pods.
An interesting and rare alien discovered by Mr. H. D. Sparrow about
1936 at Hockley is Lotus siliquosus L., sometimes separated as a distinct
genus under the name of Tetragonolobus. The large yellow-orange flowers
are usually solitary and the seed pods have four longitudinal ribs or wings.
Another uncommon plant growing fairly abundantly at Benfleet is
Lotus tenuis W. and K. The specimens collected were almost glabrous and
the yellow flowers show their peculiar characteristic of turning blackish-
green in the dried state.
A garden escape, or more correctly a garden cast-out, is Galega officinalis
L. found frequently in waste places near houses. This plant is of vigorous
growth and produces racemes of pretty white or lilac flowers. The leaves
are ovate or linear-shaped in eight to ten pairs. The plant was at one time
in repute as a cordial for fevers and the generic name is derived from the
Greek signifying milk. It was supposed to have properties of increasing
the milk yield in animals. These facts may account for its abundance in
country gardens.
A tree of ornamental value found at Laindon and Canewdon, growing
wild, is Robinia pseudo-acacia L. The pendulous racemes of white flowers
are delicately perfumed.
The sea clover Trifolium maritimum Huds. is found in abundance at
Leigh along the sea-wall and is spreading inland to the foothills adjoining
the marshes. The plant grows in patches and is anything from four to eighteen
inches in height. The globular heads have pink flowers, which after flower-
ing still look conspicuous because the calyx teeth are rather prominent.