﻿Nichols: 
  The 
  vegetation 
  of 
  Connecticut 
  

  

  531 
  

  

  There 
  is 
  one 
  peculiar 
  feature 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  littoral 
  marsh 
  which 
  

   has 
  already 
  been 
  suggested, 
  and 
  that 
  is 
  the 
  occurrence, 
  scattered 
  

   here 
  and 
  there 
  in 
  greater 
  or 
  less 
  abundance 
  over 
  the 
  surface, 
  of 
  

   shallow 
  depressions 
  (Figs. 
  7, 
  10), 
  usually 
  muddy 
  or 
  occupied 
  by 
  

   tidal 
  pools 
  at 
  low 
  tide, 
  and 
  strikingly 
  different 
  In 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  

   their 
  vegetation 
  from 
  the 
  adjoining 
  higher 
  and 
  better 
  drained 
  parts 
  

   of 
  the 
  meadow. 
  These 
  salt 
  meadow 
  pools 
  and 
  ''rotten 
  spots" 
  

   (technically 
  termed 
  "pans"), 
  the 
  origin 
  of 
  which 
  will 
  be 
  described 
  

  

  I 
  

  

  Fig. 
  7. 
  Large 
  pan 
  in 
  salt 
  meadows 
  becoming 
  recolonized 
  by 
  local 
  invasions 
  of 
  

   Spartina 
  glabra. 
  Westbrook. 
  

  

  later, 
  may 
  lack 
  vegetation 
  entirely, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  the 
  higher 
  plants 
  

   are 
  concerned; 
  and, 
  while 
  the 
  alkali 
  grass 
  is 
  frequently 
  present, 
  

   the 
  salt 
  meadow 
  grass 
  and 
  the 
  black 
  grass 
  are 
  almost 
  in\'ariably 
  

   absent. 
  The 
  character 
  plants 
  are 
  usually 
  two, 
  namely 
  the 
  salt 
  

   marsh 
  grass 
  and 
  the 
  samphire. 
  Singly 
  or 
  in 
  association, 
  and 
  not 
  

   infrequently 
  accompanied 
  by 
  the 
  sei 
  lavender 
  {Limonium)^ 
  

   these 
  may 
  predominate 
  over 
  considerable 
  areas 
  of 
  undralned 
  or 
  

   poorly 
  drained 
  ground; 
  but, 
  even 
  for 
  them, 
  the 
  soil 
  conditions 
  are 
  

  

  