Vol. XXVI, pp. 39-52 March 22, 1913 



PROCEEDINGS 



in- i ii i 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



A LIST OF PLANTS COLLECTED ON ST. VINCENT 



ISLAND, FLORIDA. 



BY W. L. McATEE, 

 rj. S. Biological Survey. 



St. Vincent Island, Florida. Lies about 8 miles southwest of 

 Apalachicola. It is the westernmost of a scries of islands 

 which bound St. George's Sound, and its western extremity, at 

 Indian Pass, is scarcely a quarter of a mile from the mainland. 

 The island contains about 1200 acres, and on all parts of it 

 (except marsh) visited by the writer, the soil is practically 

 pure sand. That part of the island nearest the mouth of the 

 Apalachicola River, which is said to have the richest soil, and 

 where a greater variety of mainland plants would be expected, 

 was not explored. 



A number of large ponds on the island drain through a 

 channel which was dammed many years ago. The dam was 

 allowed to disintegrate, hut was renewed and has now been in 

 place again for several years. The ponds therefore have at 

 least twice changed from brackish to fresh water. 



The plants reported upon were collected during investigations 

 of the food habits of wild ducks, under authority of the 

 Biological Survey. The writer was most hospitably entertained 

 by Dr. R. V. Pierce, owner of the island. Doctor Pierce main- 

 tains the island as a game preserve, and is especially interested 

 in improving the supply of food for ducks. A number of 

 plants have therefore been introduced. 



St. Vincent Island was a favorite collecting ground of 

 Dr. A. W. Chapman, and no one regrets more than the writer 

 that the worthy doctor did not see fit to label his specimens 



10— Pr.oc. Biol. Sue. Wash., Vol. XXVI, L913. 13'J) 



