Vegetation of Northern Cape Breton. 



339 



a closed forest, a sequence of changes may ensue similar to 

 what has been described in connection with the later phases of 

 the rock outcrop succession. By the time the grove phase has 

 been attained, much of the pasture vegetation has vanished. In 

 its place, in the semi-shaded, narrow lanes (or spaces) between 

 the trees (or groups of trees), is a more or less continuous bed 

 of moss, growing on which may be found the pioneer representa- 

 tives of various woodland species of plants. The moss carpet at 

 first may consist of Polytrichum commune, but soon this is 



Figure 36. — Grove of white spruce in former pasture ; 

 Photograph by Dr. L. H. Harvey. 



largely superseded by Hypnum Schrcheri. Among the herba- 

 ceous woodland pioneers noted here are Lycopodium complana- 

 tum, L. clavattim, Maianthcmiim canadcnse, Cornus canadensis, 

 Viola incognita, Epigaea repens, Linnaea horealis americana, and 

 Trientalis americana. Small white spruce seedlings grow scat- 

 tered over the moss carpet, but. practically speaking, white spruce 

 reproduction has come to a standstill, for few of these seedlings 

 are destined to mature. 



In this connection, there is one feature of a young spruce 

 forest that demands special comment. On the ground beneath 



