38 I'LANT 1. 1 IK OF AI-AMAMA. 



ul)rin)l Mil mil tain r:iiiL;"f>. w illi tlirir hioad tatili- laii(l>. w idc vullcy.s, und 

 ru^'jr<'<i liill> 1" •!"' Minllifiii half of (lir Statt' ti> llif fertile Cretaceous 

 plain in its center; and fafther ^oiilli. totlie pine-elad liills and rollini,'- 

 uplands nier<,'-int;- int(» the i-oast plain with its opi'ii and fore.st-eovei-ed 

 swamps, and the sands and saline marshes of the seashore. The ninn- 

 ber of distinct sju'ciesand \arieties known <'an undoubtedly be increased. 

 sin<'e thoroui^h botanical investi«r!ition has been atteni])ted by but a 

 few. The closet- exploration of any of its reerions is sure to I'eward 

 the botanist in t)rinjj;inj^- forms to lieht which ha\f never been obsei-ved 

 iu the State, if indeed not new to science. 



SYSTEMATIC RELATIONS. 



The list of va.st-ular plants urowing- without cultivation in Alabaiua, 

 as given in this volume, numbers between 2,500 and 2,550 recognized 

 distinct forms (species and Aarieties), including all the introduced, 

 adventivi', and fugitive forms. Of this numlx-r, 51> are spore-bearing 

 plants — Pteridophyta. Of the seed-bearing plants — Spermatophy ta — 

 12 species belong to the Gyninosperms, their ovules destitute of an 

 inclo.sing ovary; the remainder to the Angiosperms, their seeds within 

 an ovary. Of the latter, 707 distinct forms belong to the Monocoty- 

 ledons, the division consisting of plants with the embyro of the seed 

 bearing but a single cotyledon or seed leaf, and a little over 1,700 

 species and varieties belong to the DicotAdedons, comprising the angio- 

 sperms, with an embryo bearing two opposite cotyledonary leaves. 



Among the families of the above divisions most prominent by num- 

 ber of species the Compositae^ (goldenrods, asters, sunflowers, hawk- 

 weeds, etc.) take the first place with 808 species, followed by the 

 Poaceae with 289, Cyperaceae with 140, Leguminosae~ with 116, Nepe- 

 taceae with 60, Scrophulariaceae with 5i:>, Rosaceae, including the plum 

 and the apple tribe, with o-t. Of the families less prominent in num- 

 ber of species the Apiaceae have 16 species; Ranunculaceae, 13; 

 Euphorbiaceae, 11; Orchidaceae, 40; Polygonaceae, 38; Liliaeeae,^ 

 36; Alsinaceae, 33; Polypodiaceae, 43; Malvaceae, 26; Onagraceae, 

 25; Fagaceae (chestnuts, oaks), 26; and Ericaceae,^ 21 species. 



Among the genera excelling in number of species, Panicum stands 

 first, with 71, Carex has fully 60, Aster 38, Cyperus 35, Rynchospora 

 31, Solidago 25, Eupatorium 25, Quercus 23, Paspalum 20, fuid 

 Hypericum 20 species and varieties. 



ENDEMIC PLANTS, 



The lumiber of plants endemic to Alabama is small, ))ut suggestive. 

 Only the following t3^pes are exclusivelj'^ found within the limits of 



' Carduaceae and Cichoriaceae. 



^ Miinosaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Viftiaceae. 



* Here ii.sed in the Vjroader sense. 



