﻿Nichols: 
  The 
  vegetation 
  of 
  Connecticut 
  

  

  533 
  

  

  sions 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  ground 
  often 
  is 
  similarly 
  covered 
  by 
  a 
  thin, 
  

  

  Various 
  minute 
  algae, 
  

  

  interw 
  

  

  or 
  larger 
  species 
  that 
  have 
  been 
  washed 
  in, 
  may 
  be 
  present 
  else- 
  

   where 
  on 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  meadow, 
  but 
  they 
  are 
  of 
  relatively 
  

   subordinate 
  importance 
  in 
  their 
  effect 
  on 
  the 
  general 
  aspect 
  of 
  

   the 
  vegetation. 
  

  

  pralittoral 
  

  

  — 
  Locally, 
  and 
  particularly 
  where 
  it 
  

  

  borders 
  on 
  the 
  mainland, 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  a 
  salt 
  marsh 
  may 
  rise 
  

   above 
  the 
  level 
  reached 
  by 
  mean 
  high 
  tides. 
  Where 
  not 
  influenced 
  

   by 
  seeping 
  subterranean 
  fresh 
  water, 
  these 
  higher, 
  drier 
  supra- 
  

   littoral 
  portions 
  of 
  the 
  salt 
  marsh 
  may 
  maintain 
  an 
  almost 
  pure 
  

   growth 
  of 
  the 
  black 
  grass; 
  or, 
  particularly 
  in 
  the 
  fresher 
  situations, 
  

   they 
  may 
  be 
  populated 
  by 
  such 
  species 
  as 
  the 
  following; 
  

  

  Paniciim 
  virgatum 
  

  

  Hierochloe 
  odorata 
  

   Spartina 
  Michauxiana 
  

   Teucrium 
  canadense 
  littorale 
  

   Solidago 
  sempervirens 
  

  

  Aster 
  novi-belgii 
  littoralis 
  

   Baccharis 
  halimifolia 
  

  

  Iva 
  oraria 
  

  

  Helianthus 
  giganteiis 
  

   Cirsiiim 
  horridnhim 
  Michx 
  

  

  The 
  vegetation 
  of 
  the 
  mainland, 
  where 
  it 
  abuts 
  on 
  the 
  marsh, 
  

   may 
  also 
  be 
  made 
  up 
  very 
  largely 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  just 
  listed, 
  or 
  the 
  

   ordinary 
  upland 
  vegetation 
  may 
  fringe 
  directly 
  on 
  the 
  marsh. 
  

   Even 
  in 
  the 
  latter 
  case, 
  however, 
  there 
  are 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  species 
  

   which 
  are 
  particularly 
  characteristic 
  of 
  salt 
  marsh 
  borders. 
  Among 
  

   the 
  trees 
  the 
  post 
  oak 
  (Quercus 
  stellata) 
  and 
  the 
  sour 
  gum 
  (Nyssa 
  

   sylvatica) 
  are 
  deserving 
  of 
  special 
  mention: 
  the 
  former 
  reaches 
  

   in 
  southern 
  New 
  England 
  its 
  northern 
  limit 
  of 
  range 
  and, 
  except 
  

   locally, 
  never 
  extends 
  inland; 
  the 
  latter, 
  also 
  near 
  its 
  northern 
  

   Hmit 
  here, 
  is 
  especially 
  conspicuous 
  along 
  the 
  edges 
  of 
  the 
  salt 
  

   marshes, 
  where 
  it 
  stands 
  out 
  in 
  early 
  autumn 
  by 
  reason 
  of 
  the 
  

   gorgeous 
  red 
  color 
  of 
  its 
  foliage. 
  Other 
  woody 
  plants 
  which 
  

   should 
  be 
  listed 
  here 
  are 
  as 
  follows 
  :t 
  

  

  Juniperus 
  virginiana 
  

   Smilax 
  rottindifolia 
  

   Myrica 
  carolinensis 
  

  

  Quercus 
  bicolor 
  

   Celiis 
  occidentalis 
  

   Sassafras 
  variifolium 
  

  

  For 
  further 
  details 
  regarding 
  these 
  algal 
  felts 
  and 
  mats 
  see 
  B. 
  M. 
  Davis 
  ('13) 
  » 
  

  

  Bums 
  

  

  — 
  -^- 
  — 
  - 
  ^ 
  ^^ 
  ^j 
  y 
  r 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  ^^^ 
  

  

  t 
  Favorable 
  light 
  relations 
  probably 
  are 
  as 
  important 
  a 
  factor 
  as 
  any 
  in 
  their 
  in- 
  

   fluence 
  on 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  upland 
  vegetation 
  bordering 
  salt 
  marshes. 
  Essen- 
  

   tially 
  all 
  the 
  species 
  here 
  listed 
  are 
  relatively 
  intolerant 
  of 
  shade. 
  

  

  