HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE STUDY OF THE 

 MAINE FLORA 



While no group of Maine plants has been thoroughly investi- 

 gated, our knowledge of the phanogamous plants is probably 

 more complete than of any other group. This is due to the more 

 general interest taken in that group, and to the efforts of Mr. 

 M. L. Fernald of the Gray Herbarium, who has published an 

 extended list of Maine plants. 1 A large part of our knowledge 

 of the lower forms is due to the extensive lists of Filamentous 

 Algae, 2 Lichens, 3 Characese, 4 and several groups of Fungi 5 pub- 

 lished by the late Professor Francis L. Harvey, of the University 

 of Maine. Some knowledge of the Diatoms of the State has 

 also been given us by Professor A. B. Aubert, 6 of the University 

 of Maine. There are no published lists of other groups, but a 

 list of about 150 species of Mosses was prepared by Mr. E. D. 

 Merrill while in the University of Maine, and large collections 

 of Maine Mosses are preserved in the University herbarium. 

 Extensive collections of Liverworts have been made by Professor 

 Harvey and his students, and specimens of them have been pre- 

 served in the University herbarium. 



Rev. Joseph Blake was the first to study the Fungi of Maine. 

 Many new and interesting forms were found by him, and several 

 of them were described by Rev. M. J. Berkley of England, and' 

 Rev. Moses A. Curtis of North Carolina. Mr. Blake's collec- 

 tions were mostly made in Cumberland county and about August 



1. Proc. Portland Soc. Nat. Hist. 2: pts. 2, 3, & 4. 1892-97. 



2. Bull. Torr. Rot. Club, 15: 155-161, 1888; IB: 181-188. 1869; 19: 118-125, 1892. 



3. Bull. Torr. Hot. Club, 21 : 389-39.1, 1894 ; 23 : 7-10, 1890. 



4. Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, 22:397-398, 1895. 



5. See Harvey, F. L. in List of works and papers treating 1 of Maine Fungi. For 

 complete bibliography of Maine botany see Rhodora 1; 111-151, 1899. 



6. Le Diatomist 2: 150-151 & 211, 1894-95. Am. Mo. Micr. Jour. 17: 165-6, 1896. 



