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THE FLORA OF MISSISSIPPI. 



These Delta plains were originally covered with heavy 

 hardwood forests, much of which still stands. The trees 

 are prevailingly of the moisture and water-loving kinds as 

 would be expected, and differ from the tree flora of the 

 alluvial soils of the last region quantitatively rather than 

 qualitatively. While the region perhaps presents no new 

 species, the bulk of the forest growth runs much more 

 largely to a few abundant species, such as represented 

 below : 



Quercus alba, 

 Quercus lyrata, 

 Quercus phellos, 

 Quercus aquaticus, 

 Quercus Michauxii, 

 Fraxinus Americana, 

 Taxodium distichum. 

 Magnolia grandiflora, 

 Liquidamhar styraciflua, 

 Nyssa sylvatica, 



Nyssa uniflora, 

 Platanus occidentalis , 

 Fagus ferruginea, 

 Acer dasycarpum, 

 Carya olivaeformis, 

 Carya aquaticus, 

 Celtis Mississippiensis , 

 Salix nigra, 

 Populus deltoides, 

 Tilia pubescens. 



These are but a few of the species growing here but 

 are representative, embracing by far the greater part of 

 the tree growth. The shrubs of the region are not numerous 

 in species, and differ little, except in relative abundance 

 of different species, from those of the last region having 

 similar habitat. 



The herbaceous flora of the Delta is not very varied. 

 The shade of the forests is such that few species thrive in 

 the dense half light of the virgin forest. 



A few that have not been mentioned as occurring in 

 the last region, together with a few others most commonly 

 found in the lowlands are given here: 



Polygonum Virginianum, 

 Saururus cernuus, 

 Commelyna hirtella, 

 Echium vulgare (fields), 

 Lippia lanceolata, 

 Penthorum sedoides. 



Spermacoce glabra, 

 Asclepias perennis, 

 Ammannia coccinea, 

 Conobea midtijida, 

 Hymenocallis lacera. 



