XEROPHILE AND MESOPHILE FOEEST FLORA. 7l 



Under the cover of the mostl}' rather open forest a variet}" of shrubs 

 contribute to form a dense undergrowth. Blueberries ( Vaccfnium 

 vaclUan.'<^ V. .stamlneuni) are met with everywhere in the mountain 

 region, and a bushy low form of the common azalea or honeysuckle 

 {Azalea nudif.ord)^ conspicuous by the abundance of its mosth^ snow- 

 white flowers, borne in close clusters, almost hides the ground. The 

 fringed stuartia {Sttiartia pentagyna)^ mountain holly {Ilex monticola)^ 

 and its variet}' (/ monticola mollis)^ with soft hairy leaves, extend 

 northerly on the lower of the western Alleghenian ranges to south- 

 eastern Kentucky, western Virg-inia, and Pennsylvania, and reach 

 their southern limit on Sand Mountain. Ilex Irmglpes extends from 

 North Carolina and Tennessee to the Louisianian area, and the rare 

 Ilex dubia is found on the richer slopes, with Darhya umhellulata., 

 which of late has also been discovered on the edge of the metamorphic 

 hills in Lee County. The last occurs also in a few localities in North 

 Carolina and middle Georgia. Seven bark {Hydrangea qiiercifoUa)^ 

 one of the most ornamental shrubs, adorns the open woods and rocky 

 hillsides throughout the region, l)eing' also common on the lower hills 

 and extending to the Coast Pine belt. The following shade the rockj^ 

 borders of the water courses: 



Vuccinium tenellnm (small-leaved hnckle- SluartUi mrgmica (Virginia stuartia) . 



berr}') . Aronia arhutifolia (chokeberry) . 



KcdmUi latifoUa (evergreen kalniia) . Pyrun angustifoHa (Southern crabapple) . 

 Azalea (irborescens (sweet-scented azalea) . 



The chokeberry, which is here of arborescent habit, presents a 

 beautiful sight when loaded with its bright scarlet fruit, which 

 remains from earl}' autunm through the winter. The following add 

 to the number of mesophile shrubs, which prefer a damper and deeper 

 soil: 



CMonuitlkua virginica (fringe tree) . Crataegus crus-galli (cockspur thorn) . 



PyruH angustifoHa (Southern crab apple) . Crataegus mollis (downy haw) . 



Crataegus cocclnea (scarlet haw) . Crataegus uniflora (winter haw) . 

 Crataegus spathulala (sugar haw) . 



Of woody creepers and climbers — 



Smila.c rotundifoUa (horse brier) , Clematis virginiana (common virgin's 



bower) , 



are confined to the mountain region, extending to the Alleghenian 

 area; while — 



Bignonia capreolata (cross vine) , Berchemia rolubiUs (supple-jack) , 



Tecoma radicans (trumpet vine) , Vitis aestivalis (summer grape) , 



are widely distributed in the Carolinian and Louisianian divisions. 



Mesophile forests. — Where the sandstones give way to clayey shales 

 more subject to erosion, the channels of the water courses become 



