Bedfordshire
Rare Plants

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The botanical history of this county has been industriously investigated by the Rev. Dr. Abbot, of Bedford, who has published a very ample Flora of its indigenous plants. Among the most rare are Lythrum hyssopifolium, which grows plentifully in the fields among Oakley and Clapham; Malaxis paludosa, which grows in the neighbourhood of Potton; Campanula latifolia and Eriophoron polystachion, near Dunstable; Geranium Phoeum, near Eversholt; Hyoseris minima, near Aspley and Ampthill; Centunculus minimus, near Ampthill; Ornithogalum Pyrenaicum, near Eaton-Socon; Hypochaeris glabra; Salix rubra; Melampyrum cristatum; Alisma ranunculoides: Inula Helenium; Trifolium ochroleucum; carex strigosa, and Pliaeum panticulum. One should be almost inclined to suppose that the seeds of the Draba muralis and Erodium moschatum, two Northern plants found by Dr. Abbot in Bedfordshire since the publication of his Flora, have been introduced into the county by some botanist. Many rare plants have thus become naturalized, at places very remote from that of their original growth. Dr. Abbot found the Euphorbia Cyparissias, considered as a doubtful native plant, growing in Barton-Leet woods.

Extract from: Lysons' Magna Britannia being a concise topographical account of several counties of Great Britain by the Rev. Daniel Lysons, A.M., F.R.S. F.A. and L.S. Rector of Rodmarton in Gloucestershire and Samuel Lysons, Esq., F.R.S. and F.A.S. Keeper of His Majesty's Records in the Tower of London, 1806

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014