The iron and manganese content of plants present in the natural vegetation of the English Lake District

Estimations of Fe and Mn have been made on 96 spp. of plants (including fungi, mosses, ferns, and flowering plants) from a wide range of natural habitats. These plants normally contain more of both elements than is usual in crop plants grown on cultivated fields, probably owing to the greater acidity and humus content of the natural soils. The amt. present varies with the indivdual species, the plant group, and the type of habitat. While some spp. and groups tend to take up Fe or Mn selectively, both the absolute amts. and the ratio of the 2 elements may vary widely without apparent injury to the plant. In general, these elements accumulate most in aquatic plants growing on organic and anaerobic muds. The lowest amts. are found in spp. characteristic of flushed brown earths and by plants from drained acid peats. The fruiting bodies of fungi contain little of either element.