148 
Studies in the Flora of the Central Gulf Region.—I, 
By CHARLES Louis POLLARD. 
The Central Gulf Region, comprising the States of Alabama 
and Mississippi, has been neglected by collectors to an extent 
that is surprising in view of the interest attaching to its flora; a 
condition of affairs, doubtless due to the fact that Professor S. M. 
Tracy and Dr. Charles Mohr, both zealous field workers, have 
been most generous in supplying material for investigation. In 
the course of several months’ study of Mississippi and Alabama 
Cassias, 1 had observed that in these southern specimens, as well 
as in Florida material, there was apt to be uniform variation from 
northern types as I understand them. With the object, therefore, 
of supplementing herbarium work by field observations, I spent a 
month in Mississippi during the past summer, for the most part 
exploring the Gulf coast, although some time was put in at 
Waynesboro, near the northern limit of the pine belt and at the 
Agricultural College, on the northeastern quarter of the State. 
During this visit over four hundred plants were collected, and I 
- have since been afforded the opportunity of examining the collec- 
tions made later in the summer, throughout substantially the same 
area, by Mr. T. H. Kearney, of the Department of Agriculture, to 
whom I am greatly indebted. Mr. Charles Schuchert, of the Na- 
tional Museum, made a collection of plants late in the fall, in the 
neighborhood of Meridian and Waynesboro, Mississippi, and in 
adjacent portions of Alabama; these specimens, which are of 
great interest as containing a number of the characteristic fall 
composites, Mr. Schuchert kindly turned over to me, and they 
will be reported upon in a subsequent paper. Professor S. M. 
Tracy, of the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station, also 
placed in my hands a large number of specimens obtained in 
every quarter of the State, and for these, as well as for his many 
kindnesses and cordial hospitality, I would return sincerest grati- 
tude. I havethus been enabled to examine a large portion of the 
known flora of Mississippi and to verify, by actual observations in 
the field, a number of conclusions previously drawn. 
Probably the most conspicuous, and certainly the most inter- 
esting feature of this flora, is the extension of types from the 
