The following Table, shewing the number of species of flowering plants in some of the local Floras of Britain, is extracted from "Remarks on the Geographical Distribution of British Plants," by Hewett Cottrell Watson. This Table was published in 1835, at which time the author considered 1400 species to be the extreme limit of the British Flora. Some of the Floras were issued at a much earlier date, as that of Bedford, by Dr. Abbot, in 1798. The "Flora Edinensis," published in 1834, contains 750 species. The following Floras are more recent: Yorkshire....... 956 ...... dated......... 1854 20 Liverpool...... My attention has been chiefly given to the Cryptogamia, but in the course of various excursions in the vicinity of Liverpool during four seasons, I have met with more than 600 species of flowering plants. That so many plants are found in a district somewhat unpromising in its first appearance, may be accounted for by the fact that, within a circuit of ten or twelve miles round Liverpool, a botanist may make at least five or six excursions to localities each one differing widely from the rest in its floral character. Woods and Woodlands.-First in order we may notice the woodlands of the Wirral, amongst which Gilbrook once stood pre-eminent, but its timbered honours are now reduced to a few thinly scattered trees. Noble banks of wood, however, remain at Bromborough and Eastham, rich in Labiata. The borders of the stream from Patrick Wood upwards afford Musci and Hepatica rarely to be obtained elsewhere; and the winding valley is sheltered all the way by steep and lofty banks, where may be found sunny nooks in which Spring wakes the flowers and the birds weeks before Winter has ceased to reign on the northern shores of the Mersey. Turning westward, large plantations of fir crown the Stourton promontory, quite to its extremity at Bidston. Boleti abound in these, and near Flaybrick the plantations afford many interesting species of Cladonia. Very similar to these, botanically, are the fir plantations skirting Simon's Wood, Rainford, Windle, Sutton, and Bold Mosses. In the latter only I have seen in profusion the lovely cyclamen-shaped flowers of the Cranberry. The woodland walks in the Lancashire portion of our district are very unlike those on the opposite side of the river; the surface of the ground is flat, and even in summer there is a formal cheerless character about the woods. This is especially the case at Ince Blundell, where the woods are enclosed by large moats, in which lie buried the leaves of many seasons. Fine avenues of beech do indeed redeem the character of the place for beauty, and though few flowers of much botanical interest are to be found, the remark of Fries on the peculiar productiveness of beech woods in Agarics, may be verified there any time in Autumn. The wood called the "Old Roughs" at Kirby, Acornfield Wood, and the woods at Croxteth, are all admirable localities for Fungi. Broad-leaved Heleborine and Ramsons flourish at Croxteth, but Wood Crowfoot has become very scarce. Hale and Speke woods are celebrated in the Flora as containing several botanical rarities, and though some of them have been lately sought for in vain, I do not therefore doubt that a further search might be successful. It is no slight amount of investigation that is required to ascertain all the species, even of flowering plants, that belong to any given locality; much more when the cryptogamia are included. In confirmation of this, I may mention a little unlikely-looking wood, called Hangsdale's Wood, at Rainhill. This wood being near my house, can be examined by me much oftener than distant localities: it has produced a surprising list of Fungi, and of flowering plants, Woodruff, Cow-wheat, Sanicle, and Saw-wort, besides some good carices and grasses. The remarks which I made upon the formal and uninteresting character of our neighbouring woods, do not apply to Knowsley Park, where there is some fine forest scenery. A large portion of the domain is left as much as possible in its natural condition: in some spots the oaks are of great age and size; and when the mellow tints of autumn are reflected from the Bracken, and gleams of the retiring sun fall upon the grey and knotted trunks of the venerable trees, under which are browsing herds of red and fallow deer, the scene is one for any lover of nature to rejoice in, but for a Gilpin only to describe. The species of flowering plants in the park are not very numerous; but it is the only locality that I know of for Various-leaved Pond-weed and the Lesser Skullcap. Before leaving this part of the subject, I may notice a remarkable contrast between the woods of the Wirral and those on this side of the Mersey, in respect of Lichens, and Mosses that grow upon trees. In Cheshire, almost every plantation contains trees which may be examined with success; in mosses for Orthotricum, Hypnum, Omalia, &c.; in lichens for Opegrapha, Calicium, &c.: even single trees by the road side are worth attention, but on this side I do not know a single locality where there are trees producing any but the most ordinary species. Lanes. From the woods we pass on to notice a few of the more interesting lanes belonging to the district, which, although they cannot be said to have distinct botanical features of their own, but partake of those which are common to the country through which they pass, are yet so pleasant and so useful, that it is probable few botanists have rambled much without having their often frequented and favourite lanes. A short but promising lane leads from a point near Woolfall Heath to the Little Wood, Croxteth. In early spring the banks of this lane are covered with the Cuckow-pint, fruiting finely, the spadix varying from lemon colour to the deepest crimson. An admirable lane leads from Formby Station to the Church on the sands, where it turns to the left. Hypnum purum and Climacium dendroides are found here in fruit. A lane leads from the toll-bar on the hill upon the road to Upton, and passing Noctorum sharply descends the hill, eventually joining the Woodchurch road. The whole of this lane is excellent; where it crosses Oxton Heath, Marsh Gentian and the dotted-fruited Carex are found; as it approaches the valley there are walls which seem very ancient, and are covered with Pennywort, whilst the banks a little further on afford the Blackstalked Spleenwort in profusion. A great number of other lanes are connected with pleasant botanical associations, but I will mention only one, which leads from Halewood, by the Old Hut, to Heath-farm. This lane, with the adjacent thicket, affords good botanizing in spring, summer, or autumn; and should the plants disappoint the rambler, he will find the picturesque Old Hut, an ancient forester's tower and dwelling, with quaintly timbered walls and broad overhanging eaves, well worth a visit. Peat Mosses. These Mosses occupy a large tract of country to the north of Liverpool, extending from the flats on the west of Kirkby far to the north-east, and, mixed with patches of cultivated ground, reaching to Upholland, or even almost to Wigan. The principal of them are known by the names of Simon's-wood Moss, Rainford Moss, Windle Moss, &c. The beacon hill at Billinge stands as a bold headland, jutting out into this vast plain; similarly the Bidston hill overlooks, and in fact divides, the Leasowe level. A tract of undulating or broken ground, part of which is the St. Helens coal field, separates the Mosses we have named from the Sutton and Bold Mosses; and these again have a similar boundary at Newton, intervening between them and the very extensive moss district, a part of which is known as Chat Moss. I do not mention all these as belonging to our district, but merely to point out how very extensive is the chain of turf-bogs to which our Liverpool mosses belong. The plants most characteristic of the pure peat moss in this neighbourhood seem to be the Andromeda, Crowberry, Sweet Gale, and the Red-necked Fork-moss. Heaths. The term Heath is often used synonymously with Peat-moss. It may, however, perhaps more properly indicate a peaty soil in a more exposed and elevated position, such as we have on the Bidston, Grange, and Heswall hills, where the rock generally approaches the surface. The very pretty white and pink English Stonecrop abounds on the heaths near the Dee. |