XEROPHILE AND MESOPHILE HERBACEOUS VEGETATION. 73 



the former, many ferns peculiar to the mcnuitaiii region take root in 

 the chinks of the bare rocks. Such are: 



ChdlantJies iumentosa. Asplenium montanum. 



Clieilanthes lanom. Asplenium ruta-muraria. 



Cheilanthes alahamensix. Asplenium pinnatifidum. 

 I'ellaea atropurpuren . 



In similar situations are found the following flowering plants: 



Silene rotundifolia. Arenaria stricta. 



Silene caroliniana. Lacinaria graminifolia. 



Saxifragu inrginica. Senecio obovatus. 



Other species of ferns on the border line of xerophile and meso- 

 phile associations prefer the more sheltered rocky ledges, as: 



Asplenium panmlum. Dicksonia punctilobula. 



Woodsia ohtusa. Camptosorus rkizophyllus. 



Polypodiwa vulgar e. Cystopteris fragilis. 



Carex picta (C. hootttana) covers in dense tufts the rocky shelves on 

 the banks of the head waters of the eastern Sipsey fork, in Winston 

 County, where this pretty and rare plant was collected by the late 

 Judge T. M. Peters. 



Associated with Carex picta are C. nigro-marginata^ C. virescens, 

 and 0. digitalis^ T'lpiilaria unifol'ia (of a widely disrupted distri- 

 bution from the Gulf coast to Lake Huron in the Allegheuian area), 

 and the northern Perariikim ( Goody era) repetis. Therofon {Boykinia) 

 aconhifoliurii inhabits the bare rocks forming the brink of streams, 

 and Dknnorp)ha pimlla is found in similar localities — both extend- 

 ing hither from the lower mountains of South Carolina and 

 Georgia. Ileuchera americana grows in more open, and 11. rugelii^ 

 Viola midticaulis^ and Jlepatica hejjatica in deeply shaded situations; 

 and where the rocky walls are constantly kept moist by the dripping 

 water, Thalictrwnn clavatum^ Yiola rostrata^ Y. hlaiida^ and T' striata 

 are found. 



In the open woods of a light dry soil where pines are mingled with 

 the hardwood trees, and in the openings of old fields and pastures, 

 where the progeny of the pine is apt to take possession of the ground, 

 there are present numerous xerophile species, which are character- 

 istic of the mountain region in general. Of these, the following glu- 

 maceous plants (grasses and sedges — Poaceae and Cyperaceae) are 

 scantily diffused throughout woods and fields having a thin thirst}^ soil: 



Erianthus alopecuroides. Eragrosiis pectinacea. ' 



Andropogon sroparius. ' Poa chapmaniana. ' 



Andropogon furcatus. ' Carex laxiflora. ' 



Chrysopogon avenaceus. ' Carex laxiflora varians. ' 



Sieglingia seslerioides. ' Carex cephalopJiora. 



Melica mutiea. ^ Carex leavenworthii. 



' Occurs also in the Louisianiaii area. 



