144 



time of the visit was the month of August, and while the object of the 

 trip was not botanical, a few plants were collected and preserved as 

 well as was possible under the conditions. 



At the base of the ChilhoAvees runs IJttle River, its banljs thickly 

 clothed with timber, the most prominent form both as to size and number 

 being the sycamore. More interesting was the fact that the mistletoe, 

 which with us is found chiefly upon the elm, the honey locust and the oali, 

 had there its favorite resting place upon the sycamore. Upon the w^estern 

 slopes of the Chilhowees, the chestnut was the characteristic forest tree, 

 reaching very often a trunk diameter of from five to seven feet. In the 

 coves and upon the western slopes of the Great Smokies, pines made up 

 the forests, and we drove through miles of these forests which had as 

 yet been free from the lumberman's axe. Near the summits of the Great 

 Smokies the trees were for the most part stunted beeches, not more than 

 fifteen to twenty feet high or with a trunk diameter exceeding eight 

 inches. Among the pines there grew in abundance a bright yellow orchid 

 which I was unable to collect, but took to be either Habenaria crista ta or 

 lacera. Upon the summit of Thunder Head in the wet places the Indian pipe 

 grew in great masses, covering acres with its graceful, snow-white blos- 

 soms. In the lower levels and encroaching everywhere upon the cultivated 

 areas the most attractive plant was the passion flower {PassiHora incar- 

 nata), known locally as maypop. It was one of the most annoying weeds 

 of the region. The masses of rhodondendrons and azaleas, though past 

 the glory of their bloom, added another feature, strange to northern eyes. 

 These plants practically covered the lower stretches of the mountain, 

 and Av^hen in. full bloom must have made a most brilliant landscape. No 

 attempt was made to secure a complete collection of the plants of the 

 region, only those being collected which promised to "preserve easily," 

 or were of interest for some special reason. 



Thanks are due to Mr. H. B. Dorner. a graduate student in botany at 

 Purdue University, for a critical study of the collection. 



Junipems Virginiana L. Red Cedar. 



Common over Chilhowee and Great Smoky Mountains. 

 Panicum capillare L. Witch Grass. Tumble weed. 



Abundant and annoying in cultivated areas. 

 Commelina nudijlora L. Creeping Day-flower. (C. communis L.) 



In moist places at base of mountains. 



