454 proceedings of the academy of [1881. 



November 1, 1881. 

 The President, Dr. Rusciienberger, in tlie chair. 

 Thirty-four persons present. 



Color in Autumn Leaves. — Mr. Thomas Meehan referred to an 

 excursion to the Salt Marshes of New Jersey, organized by a 

 member of the Academ}'^, Mr. Isaac C. Martindale, and generously 

 seconded by the Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company, which 

 furnished a special train of twelve cars for the company, with the 

 privilege of stopping along the road at interesting botanical points. 

 This gave unusual opportunity to examine the vegetation of the 

 Salt Marshes, which, at this season of the jghy presented a scene 

 of colored beaut}^ unequaled perhaps in the whole world. 



Mr. Meehan remarked that the vegetation which for the most 

 part made up this flora, was either precisely the same as those 

 which entered into the flora of similar localities in western Europe, 

 or else of species so closely allied that onl}'^ critical examination 

 would show the distinction. The plant which gave the greatest 

 brilliancy, chiefly on account of its numerical proportions, was 

 Salicornia herbacea, the same plant which abounds along European 

 shores. To the rich ros}^ red of this species Salicornia mucronata 

 (of Bigelow, S. Virginica of most authors) added a rosy brown. 

 Although this species is American there are forms of S. herbacea 

 on the English coast, which approach it. The third species is S. 

 amhigua of Michaux, a perennial species, and the analogue of the 

 British S. radicans. This one never changes its bright green 

 color till severe frost destroys it. The lively green very much 

 enlivens the brilliancy of the orange, red and brown in the other 

 marsh plants. The species precisely the same with those of En- 

 gland which gave color to the marshes besides these Salicornias 

 were Salsola Kali^ Suseda maritima, Atrijylex 2)atula, Polygonum 

 maritinum, Spartina stricta^ Spartina juncea, and Ammophila 

 arenaria — the three last grasses which add much by their light 

 browns to the richness of the whole. Statice Limoniuni, by its 

 faded blue-gray tint, gave a peculiar element to the color. Aster 

 fiexuosus.^ closely related to Aster Tripolium of European marshes 

 furnished a tint of purple-green. So far as could be observed of 

 the many other species of plants which might be collected, these 

 were the only ones giving character to the beautifully colored 

 picture the marshes presented at this time. 



The most interesting inquiiy here presents itself — Why should 

 plants common in the main to both continents, color so much 

 more brightly in America than in Europe? We are reminded 

 that what we see here in these marsh plants, does not hold good 

 with close allies in other sj^ecies. Among trees and shrubs there 

 are some peculiar to each country, but closely allied, in which all 



