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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



common species were: loblolly and 

 spruce pine, water oak, laurel oak, live 

 oak, magnolias, sweet bay {Magnolia 

 virginiana), fringe tree {Chionanthus 

 virginica), azaleas {Rhododendron nudi- 

 florum and viscosuni), river maple, and 

 Smilax laurifolia. 



Among the fish of the region were: 

 minnows {Fundulus notatus and Hyho- 

 gnathus hayi), carp {Opsopoeodus emi- 

 liae), shiners {Notropis cercostigma) , 

 speck, sand darters {Ammocrypta, pel- 

 lucida, vivax, and beanii) and many of 

 the fresh-water fish mentioned in the 

 next region. 



10. Coastal Pine Barrens. Topog- 

 raphy. This is a low flat region ap- 

 proaching the Gulf. The occasional 

 ridges about 30 ft. above sea level were 

 formerly drifting sand dunes. Between 

 the higher areas are low marshes and 

 swamps which are peaty and acid or 

 brackish. The streams are sluggish 

 and frequently overflow. In summer 

 they are brackish near their mouths. 



Original biota. The biota of this 

 region was distinctive. Many species 

 were not found elsewhere in the state, 

 and many on water-logged soil were 

 characteristic of northern bogs. An 

 open growth of pine (P. palustris, 

 taeda, heterophyla) extended over the 

 entire area. In the dry and better 

 drained portions in addition to the pine 

 some of the most characteristic species 

 were: live oak, laurel oak, turkey oak, 

 water oak, upland willow oak, magnolia 

 {M. foetida), leather-wood, sour-wood 

 {Oxydendrum arboreum), and herbaceous 

 species including milkwort {Polygala 

 lutea and nana), deer grass, St. John's 

 wort, butterwort {Pinguicula lutea), 

 sundrops {Oenothera fruticosa), club 

 moss, and pitcher plants {Sarraceniaspp.) 



On the low wet ground along the 

 streams and swamps in addition to some 

 species mentioned the most typical 

 were: inkberry {Ilex glabra), yaupon 

 (/, vomitoria), sweet bay, red bay 

 {Per sea pubescens), tupelo gum, wild 

 olive, dwarf huckleberry {Gaylussacia 

 dumosa), white cedar {Chamaccyparis 

 thyoides), red ti ti tree, white swamp 



honeysuckle {Rhododendron viscosum), 

 saw palmetto {Serenoa serrulata), pitcher 

 plants {Sarracenia rubra, flava, drum- 

 mondii), sundew {Drosera filiformis, 

 intermedia, rotundifolia), snake mouth 

 {Pogonia sp.), yellow-eyed grass {Xyris 

 arenicola and other species), star grass 

 {Aletris sp.), and several species of club 

 moss. 



Approaching and upon the beaches 

 were: live oaks, pine and wax myrtle 

 {Myria cerifera). Associated with these 

 on the oak and pine flats proper were 

 such characteristic species as sandbur 

 grass {Cenchus sp.), button snakeroot 

 {Eryngium syncihaetum) , button weed 

 {Diodia teres), pin weed {Lechea sp.), 

 and partridge pea. On the dunes in 

 addition to the saw palmetto, yaupon 

 holly and wax myrtle already mentioned 

 were: cow berries {Ceratiola ericoides), 

 sea oats {Uniola paniculata), and grass 

 {Panicum sp.). Down on the beaches 

 characteristic forms were: Carolina box 

 thorn {Lycium carolinianum) , black 

 mangrove {Avicemnia nitida) , salt-marsh 

 fleabane {Pluchea camphorata), marsh 

 elder {Iva or aria), white top {Dichromena 

 colorata), evergreen goldenrod {Solidago 

 sempervirens), salt-marsh aster {A. te- 

 nuifolius), bladderwort {Utricularia 

 sp.), and marsh grass {Spartina sp.). 



The animals of this region were 

 varied, some coming in from the longleaf 

 pine region on the north and other 

 aquatic species from the Gulf. Snails 

 and mussels, crustaceans and insects 

 were present in great numbers. In the 

 streams some of the commoner fishes 

 were: gars, mud cat, small poison cat 

 {Schilbeodes gyrinus), buff'alo (/. cypri- 

 nella), top minnow {Gambusia affinis), 

 crappie {Pomoxis annularis), goggle- 

 eye perch {Chaenobryttus gulosus), sun- 

 fish {Lepomis sp.), large mouth black 

 bass {Micropterus salmoides), shad {Sig- 

 malosa atchafalayae), mullet {Mugil 

 cephalus), bream {Lagodon rhomboides) , 

 spot {Leiostomus xanthurus), croaker 

 {Micropogon undulatus), and goby {Go- 

 biosoma bosci). During the winter and 

 early spring when the water of the lakes 

 and the bayous along the coast was 



