FREE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE 



VEGETATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA 



99 



barrens is sometimes scarce, and often wanting entirely, the herbaceous 

 undergrowth is rich and varied, embracing nearly half of the flora of the state. 

 In most pine barrens slight sinks, or basins, in the surface [see map], which are 

 filled with water in wet seasons and are moist at all times, are of frequent 

 occurrence, and these places have a large and characteristic flora. Where the 

 shrubby undergrowth is scanty, or wanting, one can see for great distances 

 between the straight trunks of the pines, and over the gently undulating sur- 

 face a wagon may be driven for miles in any direction without need of following 

 any beaten track." 



The prevailing and dominant pine tree is the long-leaf pine, Pinus palustris 

 Mill., which grows to a noble size, yields a useful timber and is tapped for 

 turpentine. Pinus palustris Mill, differs from Pinus caribaea Morelet in a 

 number of important characters tabulated below: 



Prans PALUSTRIS MILL. 



Pnros CARIB.EA MORELET 



Maximum height 40 meters. 



Bark of scaly plates 



Scales light, yellowish-brown. 



Leaves three in a sheath. 



Leaves 20-40 cm. long. 



Cone scales with recurved spine. 



Cones 16-25 cm - l 



Maximum height 35 meters. 



Bark flat, irregular plates. 



Scales reddish-brown. 



Leaves 2 or 3 in a sheath. 



Leaves 18-30 cm. long. 



Cone scales armed with a small straight spine. 



Cones 10-14 cm. long. 



Nash* sketches the vegetation of the high pineland of Lake County north 

 of the region visited by me. His account may be used for comparison with 

 what observations the writer has to present of a region further south. Nash 

 states that the trees have perfectly straight trunks, rising to a height of 15-22 

 m. (50 to 75 feet), the branches near the top. Associated with the pines are 

 two oaks Quercus Catesbaei Michx. and Q. cinerea Michx., the former with 

 shining, green, deeply cut leaves, the latter with narrow, entire grayish-green 

 foliage. Several leguminous herbs are prominent, viz., Chapmania floridana 

 T. & G., Aeschynomene viscidula Michx., Morongia angustata (T. & G.) 

 Britton, Dolicholus (Rhynchosia) cinereus (Nash) Vail., Crotalaria Purshii 

 DC., Cracca ambigua (M. A. Curtis) Kuntze and C. chrysophylla (Pursh.) 

 Kuntze. Among the more frequent compositous herbs are Berlandiera sub- 

 acaulis Nutt., Pterocaulon undulatum (Walt.) Ell., Carduus spinosissimus 

 Elliottii (T. & G.) Porter, Lygodesmia aphylla (Nutt.) DC., Vernonia an- 



* Nash, George V.: Notes on Some Florida Plants. Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club 22: 

 142-143, Apr., 1895. 



