REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST FOR I924 IO3 



THE RARE PLANTS OF BERGEN SWAMP 



BY 

 M. S. BAXTER AND H. D. HOUSE 



The region known as Bergen swamp covers several hundred acres 

 in the townships of Bergen and Byron in the northwest corner of 

 Genesee county. It is drained by Black creek which f^ows eastward 

 and empties into the Genesee river near Chili. That particular por- 

 tion of the swamp which has been famous among botanists for 

 more than three-quarters of a century is located about 4 miles west 

 of Bergen, and near the Bergen and Byron township line, and a 

 few rods north of the West Shore railroad at this point. It con- 

 sists of an irregular open marl bog partially surrounded by a dense 

 cedar swamp. 



In dry weather the surface of the marl bog (figure 4) becomes 

 desiccated and apparently contains little moisture, but in wet weather 

 it is soft and miry, but never dangerous to walk upon. Few other 

 places in New York exhibit similar ecological conditions, and 

 probably none upon such a large scale and with such a large array 

 of plants, which owing to the peculiar ecological conditions neces- 

 sary for their growth, are for the most part extremely rare else- 

 where in the State. Some of them, indeed, are found nowhere else. 



Among the earlier botanists who explored this swamp are C. M. 

 Booth, G. T. Fish, George W. Clinton, J. H. Paine jr, S. M. Brad- 

 ley and Charles H. Peck. Later botanists in large numbers have 

 added many species to the known vegetation of this unique swamp. 

 Apparently the only species observed here by the earlier botanists 

 which has never been found elsewhere in the State is Houghton's 

 goldenrod (Solidago Houghtoni Torrey & Gray) , al- 

 though several other species, formerly found also in similar but 

 smaller swamps eastward to Syracuse, are probably now to be found 

 only in Bergen swamp. 



The gradual disappearance of certain wild plants from our flora 

 in many cases can not perhaps be avoided owing to the exigencies 

 of settlement and civilization. The famous " Lodi swamp " on the 

 outskirts of Syracuse which formerly contained a number of the 

 rare plants now found in Bergen swamp, has entirely disappeared. 

 Other swamps of this nature have been either drained or subjected 

 to conditions which have altered the nature of the vegetation. It is 

 sincerely to be hoped that some way may be found to preserve 

 Bergen swamp as a wild life refuge, for not only is the swamp the 



