The Flora of the Adirondacks. 73 



and adorning the rough stone fences with an exuberance 

 of dark green leaves and clusters of white flowers which 

 are succeeded by large panicles of fruit with long white 

 silky plumous tails. Where the meadows are clothed 

 with their emerald mantle, we find the Anemone Cylindrica 

 and Pennsylvanica. While under the shadow of the forest 

 trees the little Anemone Nemorosa is swayed to and fro by 

 the wind. 



A dozen species of buttercups (Ranunculus), among 

 them the Ranunculus Reptans and R. Aquatilis, two 

 rare species, adorn our region. The first creeping among 

 the mosses in shady woods, and on the shores of lakes, 

 the other floating gracefully in the shallow waters of 

 streams and ponds. Of violas the welcome harbingers of 

 spring, we have eleven species. The various hued 

 hepatica pushes its star like blossoms through the 

 dead leaves in early spring, and the Aquilegia appears 

 among the rocks, delighting the eye with brilliant colors. 

 At Ticonderoga I found a variety of Aquilegia Canadensis 

 with pure white flowers, a variety which I have never 

 seen described. The weak-stemmed Claytonia, with its 

 exquisitely painted pink bells, peeps out of the grass from 

 groves and meadows, and the Geranium Maculatum, Gera- 

 nium Caroliniaum and Geranium Robertianum adorn the 

 shady woods and rocky ravines. The Fringed Polygala 

 forms a purple carpet for many a grove, and three other 

 species of the genus are found on the hill sides. Of Legu- 

 minous plants we have many beautiful species, but the 

 order is not so rich as we find it farther south. 



The order Rosacece furnishes many more choice and 

 beautiful species. Four species of the rose proper find 

 a home in the pastures and meadows, and the genus 

 Spirea furnishes several of the most ornamental shrubs. 

 The Viburnum Paucifiorum (mountain bush cranberry), 

 rare elsewhere, is here not uncommon in mountain mea- 

 [ Trans. vi.~] 10 



