50 ESSAYS. 
in the rich open woods of the Bluff Mountain, and in similar 
places further south. The flowers are pure white or cream- 
color, in a dense and very showy raceme, at length changing 
to green. The cattle which roam in the woods for a great 
part of the year are sometimes poisoned by feeding, as is sup- 
posed, on the foliage of this plant during the autumn: hence 
its name of “ Fall-poison.” The wild Pea-vine, which is so 
highly prized as an ‘autumnal feed for cattle, is the Amphi- 
carpea.! The Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), 
which we occasionally met with in fruit, appears to be identi- 
cal with the European plant. It extends from the mountains 
of Virginia to Georgia, where it was long ago noticed by the 
younger Bartram. We also collected a handsome Phlox, of 
frequent occurrence in rich woods, which differs from P. 
Carolina (with which it has perhaps been confounded) in its 
perfectly smooth stem, and broader, less pointed calyx-teeth. 
The leaves are sometimes an inch in width, and four or five 
in length; the uppermost often ovate-lanceolate, and more or 
less cordate at the base. 
A species of Carex, nearly allied to C. gracillima, occurs 
in the greatest abundance on all the higher mountains of 
North Carolina, forming tufts on the earth or on rocks, and 
flowering throughout the summer. On this account it is 
called C. estivalis by Mr. Curtis, who discovered it several 
years since, and pointed out its characters.2, We also met 
1 In the large woods the surface of the soil is covered with a species of 
wild peas, which rise three feet above the earth, and of which the cattle 
are very greedy. They prefer this pasture to every other, and when re- 
moved from it they fall away, or make their escape to return to it.” 
(Michaux, F. A., Travels, p. 316.) 
2 C. estivalis (M. A. Curtis, ined.) : spicis 3-5 gracilibus laxifloris 
suberectis, infima pedunculata, ceteris subsessilibus, suprema androgyna 
inferne mascula, bracteis inferioribus foliaceis vix vaginantibus supe- 
rioribus setaceis, perigyniis ovoideis trigonis basi apiceque acutiusculis 
obsolete nervosis glabris ore subintegro squamam ovatam obtusam (nune 
mucronatam) duplo superantibus, stigmatibus tribus, vaginis foliorum in- 
feriorum pubescentibus. 
Hab. in montibus altioribus Caroline Septentrionalis ubique. Julio- 
Augusto floret. — C. gracillime nimis affinis; at diversa, culmis foliisque 
gracilioribus, vaginis infimis pubescentibus ; bracteis vix vaginantibus ; 
