Immediately along our sea-shore, to the westward, upon leaving the grass-plot at Adelaide Crescent, a low trailing plant is met with, and is more or less abundant at some distance beyond the reach of the tide, as far as the lock of the Shoreham Harbour Canal, at Fishersgate. It is known as the Orach—Atriplea postulcoides,—and has succulent silvery leaves, upon a woody stem. The Yellow Horned Poppy—Glacium luteum,—is equally abundant in the same localities, and a few years since was very thriving on the sites of Adelaide Terrace, Mills’s Terrace, and the houses adjacent. Its leaves are sea-green, and its flowers are of a pale yellow, resulting in long seed pods. It has a tap root, which, on being broken, exudes an acrid juice. A species of Samphire, or Jointed Glasswort, grows in profusion about the pools in the vicinity of Copperasgap. It is gathered and pickled; but it is altogether of a different character to the Samphire which is gathered on the cliffs of the Isle of Wight, and at Dover. Thrift Grass, about the wide expanse of the beach in the vicinity of the Canal Basin, flourishes in extensive patches, and its lilac flowers are a pleasing relief to the eye during the bright rays of the meridian sun in Summer. The most prolific plant in this neighbourhood is the Stonecrop, known by the several names, Ginger, Wall-pepper, and Gold-chain. It is leafless, and grows as it were, in links, from which issue golden flowers of dazzling brightness. The vitality of this little plant is incredible, and, like the several species of the Cacti, it absorbs and retains a vast amount of moisture. It may be propagated from very small portions of the plant. A dwarf kind of the Bitter Sweet Nightshade—Solanum dulcamara,—abounds in the same locality. It differs from the Deadly Nightshade, the former having purple flowers and yellow stamens; whereas the latter bears a large cup-shaped flower. The berries of both are poisonous. A rough hairy plant, the Viper’s Bugloss—Echium vulgare,—also grows here. It bears large and handsome purple or blue flowers. A very common plant along the banks of the Canal, and likewise on the banks of the shelving cliffs, between Hove and Kingston, is the Sea Starwort, or Michaelmas Daisy—Aster tripolium. It is of the same kind as that which formerly was so common in flower gardens. Another plant which grows abundantly about here, is the Common Mallow—Malva sylvestris,—and bears purple flowers, succeeded by seeds, well-known amongst children as “cheeses.” Formerly, the whole range of the dwarf cliff from Russell Street to Hove, abounded with the Common Mallow, the leaves of which possess valuable properties when boiled and applied as a poultice to whitlows. There also, as many an ass well knew, the Milk Thistle—Carduus marianus,—which was formerly held sacred to the Virgin Mary, was very prolific. Specimens of it may be found now upon the banks south of the turnpike road beyond Hove. Some years since, some rare roots of this superbly prickly plant protected the bank which forms the northern side of the cricket ground belonging to Hove House School. It may be known by the white streaks on its leaves. The unfinished embankment between the Chain Pier and Kemp Town is a fine nursery for this thistle, emblematical of the amazing quantity of the same species which occupied the rugged slopes that formed some portions of the East Cliff, now the Marine Parade, before the erection of the sea wall.
The other plants along the sea-side are the Wild Beetroot—Beta maritima,—bearing greenish white flowers on a straggling stem, with a large root; the Sea-side Campion, or Catchfly, a white trailing flower with a globular calyx and dark stamens; the Starry-headed Clover—Trifolium stellatum,—the Tree Mallow—Lavater arborea, and three species of Plaintain—the Common Plaintain, with acorn shaped seeds grouped up a rat-tailed stem, the kind given to birds; the Ribwort Plantain, bearing similar seeds, borne in a cluster at the end of a similar stem; and the Buck’s-horn Plantain, so called from the irregular shape of the leaves, resembling a stag’s horn, with the seeds like the other kinds.
In the fields in general, about Brighton, is the Scentless Mayweed—Matricaria inodorata,—with a large radiating flower like a daisy, having a yellow centre and white outside. The simple, yet pretty Daisy abounds about the general field herbage:
Daisies, the flowers of lowly birth,
Embroiderers of the carpet earth,
That stud the velvet sod.
The most prolific source of the wild flowers near Brighton is the plantation on the Dyke Road, upon the estate of Lady Ogle. There
The Violet in her greenwood bower,
Where birchen boughs with hazels mingle,
May boast herself the fairest flower,
In glen, or copse, or forest dingle.
Both the Sweet Violet—Viola odorata,—and the Dog Violet—Viola canina,—grow there, the latter in profusion. The Wild Heartsease—Viola tricolor,—is not to be found there; but it abounds in the hedge-rows about Preston, where also the Sweet Violet may be found. In this plantation are the several kinds of Nightshade; the Bitter-sweet, as before described; the Black Nightshade—Solanum nigrum,—a rare species in this district; and the Deadly Nightshade—Atropa belladonna,—which may be known by its large dark tobacco-leaf shaped leaves, cup-shaped purple flowers, and cherry-like fruit, the produce of a root,
That takes the reason prisoner.
Considering the easy access to this plantation, and other copses where this death-plant flourishes, and reflecting upon the natural proneness of children to pilfer and consume all within their reach, when they are upon their marauding expeditions, it is really surprising that there are not numerous instances of poisoning by misadventure. It can be but the special Providence, which it is presumed watches over children, that prevents the tasting of the forbidden fruit.
The Black Bryony—Tamus communis,—thrives here to perfection. Its flowers are of a greenish yellow, but its berries, like the Nightshade, are poisonous. The Geranium—Geraniaceæ,—signifying Crane’s Bill,—from the seed vessel and pistil resembling a crane’s head and bill,—may be found here of three distinct species. Each, being in its wild state, is very diminutive; but they all are as perfect in their form and colours as the most highly cultivated of the genus. In the hedges by the London Road, just beyond Preston, the Lewes Road, beyond the Cavalry Barracks, and Preston Drove, the Dove’s-foot Geranium,—Geranium molle,—vegetates. Its flowers are pink or purple, and its leaves, which grow in clusters, are flat, and velvety to the touch.