8 Rhodora [JANUARY 
FLORA OF LOWER CAPE COD; SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE. 
F. S. COLLINS. 
In my paper on the flora of lower Cape Cod! I made only brief 
mention of the native trees; I had given little attention to them, only 
noticing their presence as I passed by, with my mind more on herba- 
ceous plants and cryptogams. In a short visit to Eastham in Septem- 
ber last, I looked more closely, and now think that the expression I used 
does not do justice to the oaks. ‘‘Scrub oaks" certainly describes 
their habit, as they form dense thickets, usually with pines interspersed, 
over considerable areas, but when I examined these thickets more 
closely, to see if they were composed of Quercus ilicifolia, our common 
scrub oak near Boston, or Q. prinoides, of somewhat more southern 
range, I was confronted with a bewildering variety in the form and size 
of the leaves, and a great scarcity of acorns. Especially in districts 
that had been burned over the new growth showed leaves of enormous 
size and undecided contour. It was only by tracing the connection 
from these scrubs to the older trees, that any definite forms could be 
determined, and then it was a surprise to find that my “scrub oak” in- 
cluded no less than four species; Q. alba, Q. velutina, Q. ilicifolia and 
Q. prinoides var. rufescens. I was on the watch for Q. stellata, but did 
not find it; I think, however, it may yet be found, as it occurs in Brew- 
ster, only eight miles up the Cape. 
In the Rev. Mr. Pratt's history of Eastham, from which I quoted, 
he speaks of a native forest of considerable extent formerly existing 
in the northern part of the town, but improvidently destroyed; I think 
a small part of this still exists, as the old “Camp Meeting Grove." 
It is many years since camp-meetings were held here, and the only indi- 
cation of its former use is found in the decaying benches in the central 
open space, which is steadily growing smaller as the seedlings advance 
from the circumference. The sacred groves were reverenced by the 
ancients, and part of this reverence may have lasted even till now, and 
saved these trees. All four species of oaks grow here, and the trees 
of Q. alba and Q. velutina appear to be of a good old age. In absolute 
measurement they are not large or tall, I think none are over thirty 
1 Ruopona, Vol. XI, p. 125. 
