THE FLORA OF MISSISSIPPI- A^» 



This is especially true near the Tennessee River, where 

 the old Appalachian uplift dies away; a few miles south of 

 the river the softer sands of the Cretaceous overlap the 

 older hard rocks. The soil in this region is generally rather 

 sterile, except in the stream bottoms. 



The geological structures and topography here repre- 

 senting a transition from the old Appalachian up ift to . 

 the Coastal Plain, we would naturally infer a Wee transi- 

 tional character in the flora of the region. Such is found 

 to be the case. In the tree growth this is not very evident 

 though one or two species of more northern distnbution 

 reach Mississippi here, and have little if anyjartjier dis- 

 tribution southward. Among shrubs and herbs, howe.^r 

 are a number of species of more northern distribution that 

 find their way into the state in this last famt suggestion 

 of the Appalachian fold. 



The hnis and slopes of this region were originally clothed 

 with forests of large timber. Much of the more broken 

 parts still remain in forest, though the large trees have 

 been mostlv removed. The most abundant trees of the 

 hills are shortleaf yellow pine {Pinus m^t^s) and old field 

 pine (P. taeda), mostly second gro^vth. Mixed with these 

 are various species of oak, as black jack {Quercus mgra) 

 post oak (Q. sidlaia), Spanish oak (Q. /alcana), scarlet 

 oak (0. velnii^a), together with dog^vood ^Cornus flonda), 

 hickorv {Carya tomentosa and C. alba), chestnut {Cas- 

 tanea ^dentata), crab apple {Pyrus angustifohus) , and on 

 the highest points the more northern Jersey pme {Ptnus 



inops). . r -u u 



Growing beneath these are several species of shrubs 

 of the Heath family-the dwarf inedible deer-berry {Vac- 

 cinium stamineum) is common in low, thick copses, together 

 with other species of huckleberries {V. arboreum, corym- 

 bosum and vacillans). The briUiantly colored mountam 

 laurel {Kalmia latifolia) and bush honeyscukle {Rhodo- 

 dendron nudijlora) adorn the slopes in the spring seasom 

 The hazel {Corylus Americana) is not uncommon on shaded 

 slopes, the witch hazel {Hamamelis Virginiana) occupymg 

 similar places. 



