THE PLANT COVERIXG OF OCRACOKE ISLAND: A STUDY 

 IN THE ECOLOGY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STRAND 

 VEGETATION. 



By Thomas H. Kearney, Jr. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In October, 1898, in the course of field work for the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, the writer spent five days upon Ocracoke 

 Ishmd, North Carolina. Owing to its limited size, it was possible, 

 even in that short time, to explore somewhat thoroughly a considei*- 

 able part of the island. It is to be regretted that visits were not 

 made to the localit}^ earlier in the season, so that the plienologieal 

 develoj)ment of the vegetation could be studied. However, as most 

 of the characteristic plants of our southern Atlantic strand are rather 

 late in maturing, it is probable that a better season for a single visit 

 could not have been chosen. It was of course impossil)le to make 

 any valuable observations upon fecundation and dissemination, 

 important as these subjects are to the study of the geographical dis- 

 tribution of plants. AVliat is said here of Ocracoke will doubtless 

 apply, in a general Avay, to the other sandy reefs of the Xoi-tli Caro- 

 lina coast. 



The object of this paper is a study of the ecology and geography of 

 the vegetation of the island, the several divisions of the suliject ))eiiig 

 presented in the following order: 



(1) Climate; (2) physiography; (3) geology and soils; (4) the plant 

 formations, their composition and physiognomy; (5) ecological foinis — 

 adaptations to environment; (G) anatomy; (7) phytogeograplnCal 

 affinities of the flora. 



The nomenclature used is mainly that followed in Hrittoii and 

 Brown's Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, 

 but, in order that those who are interested in ecological work and are 

 not familiar with this nomenclature maj'find no difficulty in recognizing 

 the species described, the names used in the later works of Gray and of 

 Chapman are quoted in parentheses. A full list of all plants collected 

 or observed upon the island is appended, and here, again, familiar syno- 

 nj^ms are cited in parentheses. A list of the works quoted, Avith their 

 full titles, is given at the end of the paper. 



In the i^reparation of the anatomical portion of the pap<'r, Mr. 



261 



