﻿Nichols: 
  The 
  vegetation 
  of 
  Connecticut 
  535 
  

  

  spiralis, 
  Zanichellia 
  palustris, 
  Potamogeton 
  spp. 
  , 
  and 
  various 
  

   other 
  aquatic 
  seed 
  plants 
  of 
  primarily 
  fresh 
  water 
  habitats 
  may 
  

   extend 
  seaward 
  into 
  waters 
  that 
  are 
  perceptibly 
  brackish. 
  The 
  

   algal 
  flora 
  of 
  muddy 
  bottoms 
  and 
  tidal 
  flats 
  in 
  brackish 
  waters 
  

   lacks 
  various 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  which 
  elsewhere 
  grow 
  as 
  epiphytes 
  on 
  

   Zostera, 
  but 
  the 
  sea 
  lettuce 
  {Ulva) 
  can 
  grow 
  in 
  water 
  which 
  is 
  

   quite 
  fresh, 
  and 
  this 
  plant, 
  together 
  with 
  certain 
  species 
  of 
  Entero- 
  

   morpha, 
  may 
  make 
  quite 
  as 
  prominent 
  a 
  display 
  here 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  

   more 
  saline 
  situations. 
  

  

  The 
  midlittoral 
  marsh. 
  — 
  Sp 
  

  

  plant 
  

  

  of 
  the 
  midlittoral 
  region 
  in 
  salt 
  marshes, 
  exhibits 
  a 
  remarkably 
  

   wide 
  range 
  of 
  adaptability 
  in 
  relation 
  to 
  the 
  salinity 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  

   which 
  bathes 
  its 
  roots 
  and 
  shoots. 
  Not 
  only 
  does 
  it 
  thrive 
  in 
  

   the 
  most 
  saline 
  situations 
  (generally 
  speaking) 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  also 
  capable 
  

   of 
  growing 
  in 
  habitats 
  where 
  the 
  soil 
  water 
  is 
  nearly 
  fresh. 
  Along 
  

   the 
  lower 
  courses 
  of 
  fresh 
  water 
  streams 
  it 
  commonly 
  reaches 
  

   inland 
  quite 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  the 
  saline 
  influence 
  of 
  the 
  tidal 
  waters, 
  and 
  

   in 
  the 
  majority 
  of 
  situations 
  where 
  the 
  upper 
  littoral 
  region 
  is 
  

   occupied 
  by 
  brackish 
  meadows 
  the 
  salt 
  marsh 
  grass 
  maintains 
  the 
  

   commanding 
  position 
  in 
  the 
  midlittoral.* 
  In 
  waters 
  which 
  are 
  

   but 
  slightly 
  saline 
  the 
  salt 
  marsh 
  grass 
  comes 
  Into 
  competition 
  with 
  

   such 
  species 
  as 
  the 
  bulrush 
  {Scirpus 
  americanus) 
  and 
  wild 
  rice 
  

   {Zizania 
  palustris) 
  ^ 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  only 
  where 
  the 
  brackish 
  meadows 
  and 
  

   reed 
  marshes 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  littoral 
  give 
  way, 
  upstream 
  or 
  inland, 
  

   to 
  fresh 
  marshes 
  that 
  this 
  grass 
  becomes 
  wholly 
  replaced 
  by 
  other 
  

   species. 
  But 
  one 
  other 
  plant 
  need 
  be 
  mentioned 
  here, 
  viz., 
  the 
  

   water 
  hemp 
  {Acnida 
  cannahina), 
  a 
  tall, 
  stout, 
  annual 
  herb 
  which 
  

   is 
  frequently 
  associated 
  with 
  the 
  Spartina 
  in 
  brackish 
  waters, 
  

   growing 
  als#at 
  higher 
  levels 
  but 
  principally 
  along 
  tidal 
  streams. 
  

   Swamps 
  of 
  the 
  tipper 
  littoral 
  and 
  the 
  supralittoral 
  regions, 
  — 
  The 
  

   vegetation 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  littoral 
  region 
  presents 
  two 
  fairly 
  well 
  de- 
  

   fined 
  aspects, 
  namely, 
  meadow 
  and 
  reed 
  marsh. 
  Brackish 
  meadows 
  

   are 
  typically 
  developed 
  in 
  the 
  relatively 
  more 
  saline 
  situations 
  and 
  

   differ 
  little 
  In 
  general 
  appearance 
  from 
  the 
  true 
  salt 
  meadows 
  of 
  

   which 
  they 
  commonly 
  are 
  but 
  continuations. 
  Brackish 
  reed 
  

   marshes 
  are 
  best 
  developed 
  In 
  the 
  relatively 
  fresher 
  situations 
  and 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  a 
  very 
  common 
  condition 
  along 
  tidal 
  creeks, 
  however, 
  that 
  the 
  steep 
  muddy 
  

  

  1 
  of 
  thp 
  TniHHftnrn] 
  ^ro 
  nrflrtiVallv 
  destitute 
  of 
  Seed 
  plants. 
  

  

  