IRbofcora 



JOURNAL OF 



THE NEW ENGLAND BOTANICAL CLUB 



Vol. 18. May, 1916. No. 209. 



THE WINTER FLORA OF MUSKEGET ISLAND, MASSA- 

 CHUSETTS. 



W. L. McAtee. 



"While on Muskeget Island, Massachusetts, from November 24 to 

 December 1, 1915, in the interests of the United States Biological 

 Survey, the writer was enabled to make a collection of plants. The 

 island was well covered and the collection is believed to be complete 

 for the period indicated. 



Muskeget is pure sand and is constantly being remodeled by wave 

 action. The western side is now being worn away most rapidly. A 

 key post used by the Coast Guard was reset 27 paces inland during 

 the spring of 1915, and in December it was apparent that the post 

 would soon have to be moved again. It is said that formerly the 

 island projected three-quarters of a mile farther on this side than it 

 does now. Noticeable addition to the island seems to be limited to 

 the southeast point. 



The main body of Muskeget Island is approximately a semicircle 

 with the diameter about a mile in length. The convex side is toward 

 the north and at the southeast and southwest extremes are long points, 

 the latter being much the longer. The south side of the island is 

 occupied by 3 bays of which the middle one shoals off into a salt marsh 

 which extends long arms into the body of the island. In the south- 

 eastern quarter of the island are a number of small fresh water marshes. 

 The strongest impression made by the vegetation of Muskeget 

 Island, at the time the writer saw it, was due to the waving sea of 

 straw-colored Ammophila. Dotted here and there were dark islands 

 of which those occupying the elevations were largely composed of 



