229 BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
leaving Natural-Bridge, we observed indigenous trees of the 
Honey-Locust, (Gleditschia triacanthos,) also ZEsculus Pavia? 
‘and, in crossing the valley of James River, we noticed the 
Papaw (Uvaria triloba,) and Negundo. The road side was 
almost everywhere occupied with Verbesina Siegesbeckia, not 
yet in flower; and in many places with Melissa (Calamintha) 
Nepeta, which Mr. Bentham has not noticed as an American 
plant, although Pursh states it to be a native of the country. 
It was, however, doubtless introduced from Europe, but is 
completely naturalized in the valley of Virginia, in Tennessee, 
and in North Carolina, east of the Blue Ridge. 
On Tuesday, the 29th of June, we crossed the New River, 
arrived at Wytheville, or Wythe Court-house towards 
evening; and at Marion, or Smythe court-house, on the 
middle fork of the Holston, early in the morning. The ve- 
getation of this elevated region is almost entirely similar to 
that of the Northern States. The only herbaceous plants 
noticed by us, as we passed rapidly along, which we had not 
seen growing before, were Galax aphylla, and Silene Virginica; 
the showy deep red flowers of the latter, no less than the 
different habit, caused us to wonder how it ever could have 
been confounded with the Northern S. Pennsylvanica. The 
only forest-tree with which we were not previously familiar, 
was the large Buck-eye, ( Æsculus flava,) which aboundsin , 
this region, attaining the height of sixty to ninety feet, 
and a diameter of two or three feet or more at the base. 
At Marion, we determined to leave the valley road, and 
to cross the mountains into Ashe county, North Carolina; 
the morning was taken up in seeking a conveyance for this 
purpose. With considerable difficulty, we at length procured 
a carry-all, (alight covered waggon, with springs, drawn by 
that we passed within a moderate distance of the place where Pursh de- 
tected it. The habitat given on the original ticket, ** High mountains, 
between Fincastle and the Sweet Springs, aud some other similar places,” we 
here cite; with the hope that it may guide some botanist to its re-dis¢0- 
very. The habitat in Pursh’s Flora, “ High mountains of Virginia and 
Carolina," is probably a mere guess, so far as relates to the latter State. 
STT E EE TEE 
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