THE EXISTING FLOWERING PLANTS OF EPPING FOREST. 3
There is a time, however, after the wild roses have bloomed, when
the Forest lacks colour and looks somewhat bare of flowers. Later
on it is brightened again with Heather, Dwarf Furze, Blue Scabious,
Wood Betony and Yellow Composites.
During the last eighteen years I have collected or noted over this
area nearly 520 of the species enumerated in the "London Catalogue
of British Plants." If we could add to these the fifty odd species of
Mr. Buxton's list (in his "Epping Forest") which I have not yet
found, we should have a respectable list of Forest plants. But this
it will not be safe to do. Some are doubtless old records needing
recent verification. Alyssum maritimum, Atropa belladonna, Poly-
gonatum multiflorum, and others, have very slender claims to be
included with the "existing" plants of Epping Forest. Information
concerning some others, which certainly existed thirty to fifty years
ago, is desirable.
In the following list only the names of the less frequent of the
plants found are given. It would occupy undue space to insert all
the common species. The nomenclature is that of the "London
Catalogue," eighth edition :—
Clematis vitalba, Linn. Rare. Found only in one spot
near Chingford. It may still exist in Mr. Doubleday's Epping
station.3
Thalictrum flavum, Linn. River Roding, and by the back-
water near Buckhurst Hill.
Ranunculus circinatus, Sibth. In the Roding.
R. fluitans, Lam. River Lea, in several places.
R. drouetii, Godr. Ponds near Chingford.
R. peltatus, Schrank. Rather common.
R. hederaceus, Linn. Walthamstow, and near Fairmead.
For the determination of these Aquatic Ranunculi and other
difficult plants I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Arthur Bennett,
F.L.S., of Croydon.
Berberis vulgaris, Linn. Near the Ching ; rare.
Cardamine flexuosa, With. Near Fairmead.
3 It is pleasant to note that the "Traveller's Joy" (with many other chalk-loving species) is still
fairly common in the lanes in northern districts of the Forest, where the Chalky Boulder Clay
forms the surface soil.—W. Cole.