Flora of Plymouth: an Account of the Flowering Plants and Ferns found within Twelve Miles of the Town, with Brief Sketches of the Topography, Geology, and Climate of the Area and History of Local Botanical Investigation

Abstract

THIS is a model local flora. Mr. Briggs is well known as one of the most experienced and trustworthy amongst the botanists who have made a special study of British Phanerogamia. He has established a claim upon the gratitude of his fellow-workers by acting for several years as the honorary distributor of their Exchange Club, and in this capacity has received and sent out many thousands of specimens. The present work is the result of the rambles of twenty years, and as he has restricted its limits to a radius of twelve miles from the town, the whole of the district has been within walking distance of his home, and it is probable that there is no tract in Britain of which the plants have been worked out and placed on record in such a thorough and exhaustive manner. A radius of twelve miles from Plymouth includes a great variety of soil and situation. There are the maritime plants of the seashore and the tidal reaches of the Tamar and its affluents. Inland there are in the low country besides the stream-sides, meadows, and cultivated fields, plenty of woods and deep shady lanes with high banks and thick hedgerows, and the twelve miles radius reaches to a height of 1,700 feet on Dartmoor, and includes a considerable space of open uncultivated heathy and swampy ground. The district is not rich in limestone nor in ponds, but except in the plants which affect these two kinds of station there is full scope so far as situation goes to suit all their varied requirements in habitat.