130 . PLANT LIFE OF ALABAMA. 
Of these the first two are frequent perennials, both confined to the 
coast and ranging from Florida to Mexico, true sand binders with 
their running rhizomes deeply buried. The sand burs are annuals from 
the same regions. 
Of the sedge family Cyperus leconte/, ranging from the coast of 
Florida to Louisiana, and the common Cyperus strigosus, are frequent. 
Other herbaceous plants here found are: 
Euphorbia polygonifolia, Polygonella gracilis, 
Salsola kali. Physalis angustifolia, 
"roelichia floridana, Linaria floridana, 
Siphonychia erecta, Baldwinia multiflora, 
Siphonychia diffusa. Heterotheca subavillaris. 
Paronychia riparia. Oenothera humifusa. 
Stipulicidu. setacea. 
Of these the first three range northward to New England and the 
Great Lakes. The remainder, except the last two, are typical littoral 
sand plants, ranging from the shores of North Carolina, Georgia, 
and Florida to Louisiana; the last two are perennials of about the 
same range. 
A small group of low shrubs and suffrutescent perennials, highly: 
characteristic types, mingle on the sandy benches above with these 
associations of herbs, all of which are at home in corresponding locali- 
ties in southern Georgia and Florida. Chrysoma (Solidago) pauei- 
Jlosculosa, known as golden rod, is the most frequent among them, an 
undershrub which is extremely conspicuous when covered with its pro- 
fusion of golden yellow flowers, and later on account of its densely 
tufted stems retaining their foliage almost throughout the winter. 
With these are found Conradina canescens, contined to the shores of 
western Florida and Alabama, with the rare //ygonella polyqama 
and /eliantheamum arenicola, all sparsely diffused along the shore of 
western Florida. Cuscuta indecora, not observed in the State outside 
of this region, is frequently parasitic on the Chrysoma paue/fosculosa. 
NXerophile plant associations of the dunes.—On the southern shore of 
Dauphine Island and on the main shore eastward to Perdido Bay hill- 
ocks of drifting white sands, thrown up by the unobstructed action of 
winds and waves, rise above the beach, frequently inclosing shallow 
swamps and pools between them. On these dunes the live oak makes 
a more or less scrubby growth, frequently not exceeding in size the 
sand oak (Quercus myrtifolia), with which it is associated. The latter 
is an evergreen shrub branched from the base and from 5 to 8 feet in 
height. These, with Ceratiola cricoides and dwarfed wax myrtles, 
form an association of xerophile evergreen bushes, augmented by 
Chrysoma pauciflosculosa and Polygonela gracilis, the whole fre- 
quently intertwined with the stems of the woody creepers Aimpelopsis 
gneisa and Smilae auriculata, On the crests and steep sides of the 
hillocks the so-called sea oat (Unéola paniculata) forms open patches. 
