66
OBSERVATIONS ON PLANTS in gardens. This attractive flowering shrub would not remain for long unnoticed in the wild, and not be transferred by cottagers to their gardens.
Tulipa silvestris, L. Wild Tulip. Meadows and orchards. One clump near the River Gipping at Sproughton, where it has been seen for several years. T h e sohtary flower produced most years is too attractive and soon gets picked (F.W.S.). Said to occur near Debenham (Miss B. CopingerHill). This is most likely the Snake's-head Fritillary, the locals all refer to this flower as the " Wild Tulip." Myrica gale, L. Bog Myrtle, Sweet Gale. Very local. Barnby Broad. Mr. P. J. "Burton informs us that the late Mr. Claude Morley used to visit the bushes at Barnby for a certain i n s e c t / b u t the keeper then burnt them down to keep naturalists away. Lakenheath (B.D.J. and R. G. Rutterford).
ECOLOGY
AT
MINSMERE
THE marshes of the Minsmere level, with the exception of one field on high ground on which the ruins of the first monastic house at Leiston stands, were all marsh grazings in 1939. 1;he level is divided by a wide ditch, the New Cut. T o the north of this ditch is an internal bank which now forms a central access through the Nature Reserve which has the old Minsmere river as lts southern boundarv. T h e land between the old river and the New Cut forms part of Eastbridge farm and the Lower Abbey farm and it is in this area that I propose to record the p l a n t l i f e which continued to change with altering conditions from 1947 to 1951. A part of the subject of plant ecology is the study of plants which appear and disappear with changes in conditions brought about by man's intervention or neglect. Whilst there are exceptions to most rules, it is true to say that most plants have a natural set of conditions in which they choose to thrive e.g., the flora of the heath enjoy poor acid conditions and will not naturally grow on heavy clay land of high fertility. Whilst I did not know Minsmere in 1939, my knowledge from examining marshes on the level which were not so senously affected, leads me to believe that the sward was made u p as follows : bents (Agrostis spp.), crested dog s tail (Cynosurus cristatus), perennial ryegrass (Lohum perenne), fescues (Festuca spp.), wild white clover (Trifolium repens), rush (Juncus spp.) and other typical marsh sward weeds.