1902] Churchill, — Plants from Prince Edward Island 33 



In Part II of the Catalogue of Canadian Plants, by John Macoun 

 (also published in 1884), on page 285, under " Un-named Species 

 of Compositae," is the following note: — "(No. 133 1.) In August, 

 1883, Mr. James Fletcher picked up in the neighborhood of Victoria, 

 a small rayless composite, which at first sight might be referred to 

 Matricaria discoidea, but which differs very materially from that 

 species in many respects. It is evidently a denizen of ditches and 

 muddy places, but the specimens are too few and incomplete for 

 identification. Lower leaves laciniate, upper ones much less so. 

 The whole plant quite smooth and branching at almost every leaf 

 which sheaths both stem and branch." Afterward in 1886 (Part 

 III, p. 552), Cotula coronopifolia is recorded as "abundant for some 

 distance along a gutter in Fort Street, Victoria, Vancouver Island, 

 1885 (Fletcher). This is the plant described but not named under 

 No. 1 33 1." 



These are the only records of its occurrence that I have been able 

 to find ; and it seems remarkable that a weed like this, with both 

 disposition and ability to travel such great distances, should not 

 establish itself more firmly and abundantly in its new homes. 



The rest of my time on the island was spent at the Acadia hotel, 

 Tracadie Beach, on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, about fifteen miles 

 across the island from Charlottetown the metropolis, and more than 

 fifty miles from Summerside. The journey back and forth between 

 these places, by the little narrow-guage railroad, gave a good oppor- 

 tunity to verify the bucolic account of this prosperous land, of which it 

 has been said " It is one rich rolling arable farm, from Cape East clear 

 up to Cape North, — a warm and sandy land, in a genial climate, 

 without fogs." Fxcept at Summerside, and a day's trip made to 

 Charlottetown, all my collecting was done within five miles of 

 Tracadie Beach. 



Between the hotel at the edge of the sand-dunes, and the sea, 

 stretched a low level strand thinly carpeted with Festuca ovina ; Ag- 

 rostis alba ; Poa glumaris (?) ; Car ex silicea ; Scirpus pungens ; /uncus 

 Balticus (a slender and peculiar form) ; Salsola Kali ; Polygonum 

 Raii ; Limosella aquatica, var. tenuifolia ; Suaeda sp. ? ; Glaux 

 maritima ; Potent ilia Anserina ; Spergularia borealis ; Ranunculus 

 Cymbalaria, and other maritime plants. A step hence to the sand- 

 dunes disclosed another series of plants. There was the familiar and 

 characteristic Sea Sand Reed {Ammophila) ; and three woody plants 



