1906] Harper, Coastal Plain Plants of New England 27 



FURTHER REMARKS ON THE COASTAL PLAIN PLANTS 



OF NEW ENGLAND, THEIR HISTORY AND 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Roland M. Harper. 



Since the publication of my preliminary paper on this subject, in 

 Rhodora last April, I have accumulated some more evidence on the 

 same lines, which is presented herewith. At the same time I take this 

 opportunity to correct some geographical errors which crept into the 

 former paper. In defining the coastal plain, I unaccountably over- 

 looked the fact that the areas of Triassic rocks along the fall-line in 

 New Jersey, North Carolina and elsewhere are usually classed with 

 the Piedmont region rather than with the coastal plain. Cretaceous 

 should therefore be substituted for Mesozoic in the first paragraph. 



I also failed to notice that there is one eastern state which contains 

 neither coastal plain nor glacial drift, as far as known ; namely. West 

 Virginia. It is of considerable interest therefore to determine which 

 if any of the plants recorded as being nearly confined to the Pleistocene 

 formations occur in that state. Fortunately there is an excellent flora 

 of West Virginia, by Dr. Millspaugh, published in 1892, and on refer- 

 ring to it I find the following items of interest. The genera Xyris, 

 Eriocaulon, Pontederia, Tofieldia, Sarracenia and Utricularia are not 

 mentioned in the catalogue at all, though most of them are probably 

 represented in all the surrounding states. Potamogeton and Drosera 

 are each represented by only one species, the former from two counties 

 and the latter from one. Among the species enumerated in my pre- 

 liminary list Sagiftaria graminea is reported from only one county, 

 Dulichium from two, Eleocharis tuberculosa from one, Eriophorum 

 Virginicum from two, Habenaria ciliaris and Rosa Carolina from 

 three, Aronia arbutifolia from four. Poly gala cruciata from two, Viola 

 lanceolata from one, Rhexia Virginica from seven, Azalea viscosa 

 from four, and Pieris Mariana and Gaylussacia dumosa from two. 

 But it will be noticed that I have already indicated the occurrence of 

 nearly all of these at isolated stations in and near the mountains in 

 the states farther south. In a later edition of his flora (1896) Dr. 

 Millspaugh says: "There is to-day neither pond nor lake within the 

 limits of the State." This corroborates a statement on page 76 of 

 my former paper. 



