88 THE MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



SOME INTERESTING MICHIGAN PLANTS; TOSSIBLY SOME 



NEW SPECIES. 



S. ALEXANDER. 



In southeastern Oakland and northern Wayne comities, I have discov- 

 ered the following interesting plants, some of which I believe to be 

 new species : 



Four young oak trees, which are evidently hybrids between the Quer- 

 cus platinoides and the Q. alba. They have the scrolling bark and long 

 fruiting peduncles of the first mentioned species; the fruit and the leaves 

 also partake of the character of those of the parent trees. 



On Belle Isle Park there are several hybrids between the Quercus 

 macrocarpa and Q. platinoides. North of Palmer Park is a considerable 

 group of Q. texana and also a large forest of black oaks, which are 

 either hybrids or new species. They seem to have many characteristics of 

 all the black oaks of this region : their bodies and dropping lower limbs, 

 indicate close relationship to the Q. palustris, while their fruit and 

 leaves carry marks of other species. I will not attempt a close des- 

 cription of them until after I shall have given them another year's study, 

 at the end of which time I think that I will have at least one new species 

 to report. 



In the southeast part of Oakland county, I have found a blackberry 

 growing in great abundance which is not described in any of our syste- 

 matic books. It has but few prickles and grows after the manner of 

 the common black raspberry, rising from the ground at an angle, returns 

 again where it runs along the surface for several feet and roots 

 at the tij) if favorable conditions are reached. In the vicinity of Palmer 

 Park there is to be found another undescribed blackberry which grows 

 to the height of twelve to eighteen inches, stems upright and rigid. In 

 this region is also found .i black raspberry which does not grow upward 

 from the ground but runs over the surface after the manner of the 

 Eubus hispidus. Under favorable conditions the stalks will grow from 

 ten to fifteen feet per year and root at the tip like other black raspberries. 



On the highlands to the northwest of Birmingham there are several 

 forms of roses which do not fall satisfactorily within the descriptions of 

 any of the species of that genus. Od'j form is very si)iny and produces 

 double flowers. Another form has persistent, spreading sepals and in- 

 frastipular spines, a group not provided for in any sub-generic key. 

 Here are also found cordate-leaved shining willows, and another form 

 of willow, somewhat resembling the Salix discolor, which has large 

 chestnut-like leaves. 



In the vicinity of the lakes of Oakland county, there grows a very in- 

 teresting thorn with long slender spines, from five to seven inches, whose 

 fruit is dark purple and is covered with a heavy bloom. 



Two and one-half miles to the northwest of Birmingham, along the line 

 of the D. G. M. R. R. track, is a small plantation of the Lilium um- 

 bellatum. In the oak woods -of this vicinity is found the Coralorhiza 

 flavida which was never before reported from Michigan. 



