4o6 



George E. Nichols, 



such an area appears quite flat and easy to travel, but one soon 

 learns to steer clear of these "tanglefoot" barrens, as an old 

 trapper who served as guide for the writer aptly termed them, 

 whenever possible. Barrens of this sort obviously represent a 

 transition stage between the dwarf shrub-spruce heath asso- 

 ciation-type and the Kriimmholz association-type. Not onlv 

 is the arborescent element in the vegetation present in increased 

 abundance, but the character of the under^-rowth is different. 



Figure 54. — Knuiimhoh in immediate foreground, passing into low 

 woodland or forest scrub behind the figure; barrens in mountains west 

 of Ingonish. 



For the presence of the spruce not only causes the exclusion of 

 certain species, but favors the introduction of others. Under- 

 neath these dwarf evergreen trees, wherever they occur, may be 

 found any or all of the liverworts and mosses characteristic of 

 the climax forest of the region (e. g., Baszania, Dicranum 

 undulatiim, Hylocomium splendens, Ptilium), together with 

 various of the herbaceous plants (e. g., Clintonia, Coptis, 

 Linnaea) . 



The Krummholz association-type. — This differs from heath in 

 the following important respects: (j) Dwarf, bushy trees 



