26 



sisting of some valuable and interesting *' Notes on the Flora of 

 Plainfield, N. J." After a discussion of this paper, Mr. Britton read 

 a communication from Mr. H. H. Rusby, entitled " Notes on a 

 Botanical Trip Through Northern New Jersey." Like the former, 

 this paper contained very many valuable items of interest in regard 

 to new stations for rare plants, and gave rise to considerable discus- 

 sion. An abstract of both papers will be found in this issue of the 

 Bulletin. 



24. Notes on the Flora of Plainfield, N.J. — About a mile west 



of Plainfield, N, J,, is a long and generally abrupt range of hills, 

 trending to the northeast, and varying from 300 to 600 feet in height. 

 This elevation, composed mainly of trap rock, forms a part of the 

 triassic formation, and is known as " First Mountain '* in the geologi- 

 cal reports of the State. At Plainfield a deep gap occurs, through 

 which flows Stony Brook, and on the slopes of this depression and in 

 its immediate vicinity a number of interesting plants are to be found. 

 On the northeast side of this gap, near the top, grows Cheilanthes ves- 

 tita^ Swartz., on a small ledge of trap rock, the plants covering an 

 area of several square yards. I have collected specimens here that 

 had some of the fronds branched near the apex. Here also with 

 Cheilanthes grows Opuntia vulgaris^ Mill, [?] the only locality for it 

 that I have yet discovered near Plainfield. At the base of the ledge 

 occurs Phlox pilosa^ L., and about half way down the descent 

 towards Stony Brook, Zizia integerrima, DC, is quite abundant. 

 Along the stream Clematis verticillaris^ DC , grows sparingly. This 

 species I have found in large quantities, some 3 miles north of Plain- 

 field on the same range of hills, growing with Sambucus pubens^ 

 Mich., on the western slope, rooting in rich black mould among 

 masses of trap boulders. 



Crossing Stony Brook and ascending a few rods, Caniptosorus 

 rhizophyllus^ Link., can be found growing abundantly on low out- 

 cropping ledges of trap rock in the shade of a hemlock grove. It 

 would seem, as Mr. Davenport remarks, that this fern is not by any 

 means entirely confined to limestone formations. Fronds with 

 auricled bases and irregularly sinuate margins are not uncommon at 

 this locality, but the most singular abnormal form that I have col- 

 lected is one in which the midrib of the frond forks just above the 

 base, and, widely diverging, forms a twin or double frond, each bear- 

 ing fruit dots and rooting from the two apices. With Camptosorus 

 grow in profusion Polypodium vulgare^ L., Aspidium marginale^ Swartz, 

 and Asplenium Trzchomafies^ L. At the base of the rocks and in the 

 crevices between them the soil is kept constantly wet by the drainage 

 from the higher land above, and here can be found several plants 

 common to swamps and low ground, including Trillium erectum L. 

 and Allium tricoccum^ Ait. 



Passing up the ascent a short distance, Viola rostrata, Pursh., can 

 be found growing abundantly in rich thickets, through which are 

 scattered Morus rubra, L., Ulmvs fulva^ Michx., and Corylus rostrata^ 

 Ait. At this locality in July, 1875, I found Aralia quifiquefolia, 

 Gray. I have detected sparingly here also Cha??i{elirium luteum. 

 Willd., and Melanthium Virginicum, L. Further up the slope, in 



