Flora of Delaware and the Eastern Shore 



submergence, and this subsidence, which still continues, has resulted 

 in the formation of a coastline of the "drowned" type. This is 

 especially in evidence on the Chesapeake Bay side, where the shore 

 line is irregular, and is dissected into numerous islands.* The 

 river estuaries are wide, and extend far into the land, providing 

 extensive areas of tidal shore, whose saHnity varies from salt to 

 brackish and finally fresh water, as one goes from the mouth of the 

 stream to the head of tide. This furnishes suitable habitats for 

 differing requirements as to salt. 



Farther upstream fresh-water river swamps are abundant, with 

 a flora of their own. On higher levels, swamps dominated by 

 "white cedar" (Chamaecyparis), and others by "bald cypress" 

 (Taxodium) are found, and there are wide areas of pine-barren, 

 both dry and moist. From Talbot and Sussex Counties southward 

 one sees many pure stands of Loblolly Pine {Pinus Taeda) and others 

 of Scrub Pine (P. virginiand) , and these open woodlands are always 

 interesting to the botanical collector, since various species of plants 

 not elsewhere found are to be expected on their floors. Sphagnous 

 bogs in many places harbor acid-loving rarities. 



Along the coast, especially on the Atlantic side, are many square 

 miles of salt marsh, often inaccessible except by boat, and on the 

 ocean front are long stretches of white-sand beach, with accompany- 

 ing dunes, salt meadows, and tide-washed salt flats. 



Nearly all of the fresh-water ponds on the Peninsula are arti- 

 ficial, that is, mill-ponds, many of them botanically interesting. 

 Among the few natural ponds, perhaps the most noteworthy from a 

 botanical point of view are the Custis Ponds, a group of about five 

 small pools among high wooded dunes on the property of Mr. 

 Rufus P. Custis, on Savage Neck,t southwest of Eastville, Virginia. 

 These are fed by rain-water, and perhaps also by sub-surface springs, 

 and are semi-permanent. Here is the only station on the Peninsula, 

 as far as is known, for Wolffia punctata, the smallest known flowering 

 plant, and one of the two known localities in our area for Wolffiella 

 fioridana, which also occurs in Dragon Marsh, near Delaware City. 



Sea-level ponds are formed at points along the coast, especially 

 that of Chesapeake Bay, in places where wave-action has thrown 



* A detailed account of the geological history of our area may be obtained 

 from the Geological Atlas of the United States, especially the Coatesville-West 

 Chester, Elkton-Wilmington, Tolchester, Dover, and Choptank quadrangles. 



t Name sometimes given as "Savage's Neck," from Thomas Savage, who 

 came to Virginia with Captain John Smith, and who was the first white settler 

 on the Eastern Shore. 



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