13- WAKULLA HAMMOCK COUNTRY. 295 



Sporobolus gracilis (A grass) Hij^h pine land 



Lechea sp- High pine land 



Psoralea caneiscens High pine land 



Stylosanthes biflora High pine land 



Oplismenus setarius (A grass) ilammocks 



Epidendrum conopseum (An orchi'ri On trees in hammocks 



Galactia mollis? High pine land 



Meibomia rigida (Beggar-weed) High pine land 



+ Ceratophyllum demersum Wakulla River 

 (and about 80 others). 



The following trees which are more or less common in other parts of 

 Wakulla or in some adjoining county are rare or absent here: Pinus Elliottii 

 (slash pine), Taxodium imbricarium (pond cypress), Juniperus (cedar), Sabal 

 Palmetto (cabbage palmetto), Salix (willow), Quercus geminata (one of the 

 live oaks), Q. Marylandica, Celtis (hackberry), Magnolia glauca (bay), Lirio- 

 dendron (poplar), Oxydendrum (sourwood), and Halesia. As in the case of 

 the Tallahassee red hills, there are remarkably few rare plants, for such a unique 

 region. None of the species listed are confined to Florida. 



But there are decidedly more species of trees in this region than in the 

 small regions immediately north and south of it, and some of them are excep- 

 tionally well developed. The dogwood seems to be more abundant here than 

 in any other part of Florida, with the possible exception of the Tallahassee red 

 hills, and trees of it a foot in diameter are not uncommon. Several oaks and 

 hickories, magnolia, chinquapin, sassafras, grape vines, and a few other species, 

 are also notably large or abundant, or both. 



Weeds are rather abundant, for a region without railroads, but this is 

 doubtless a consequence of long cultivation, as in the case of the Tallahassee 

 red hills already mentioned. Fungi (none of which are listed) seem to be com- 

 moner here than in most other parts of Florida. 



Only about 48% of the trees (and still fewer of the other plants) are ever- 

 green, which is the smallest proportion yet found in any equal area in the state, 

 and presumably indicates soils well supplied with potassium compounds. About 

 11% of the shrubs are Ericaceae, but if the flatwoods areas were excluded this 

 figure would be considerably less. About 12% of the herbs, including weeds, 

 are Leguminosae, which is not far from the average; the fire-swept pine lands 

 where these plants are abundant being just about counterbalanced by the rich 

 shady woods where they are scarce. ' - 



Economic Features — The long-leaf pine is turpentined here 

 as elsewhere, but there is hardly enough of it to invite extensive 

 lumbering operations. The large and abundant dogwood and 

 hickory have been utilized a little, it is said, but most manufactur- 

 ers have overlooked the supply of these important hardwoods in 

 this region, probably chiefly on acount of the lack of railroads. 

 They will be an important resource for the future. Some Span- 

 ish moss is gathered for mattress-making, but perhaps used only 

 locally. - 



