38 PLANT LIFE OF ALABAMA. 



abrupt mountain ranges, with their broad table-lands, wide valleys, and 

 rugged hills in the northern half of the State to the fertile Cretaceous 

 plain in its center; and farther south, to the pine-clad hills and rolling 

 uplands merging into the coast plain with its open and forest-covered 

 swamps, and the sands and saline marshes of the seashore. The num- 

 ber of distinct species and varieties known can undoubtedly be increased, 

 since thorough botanical investigation has been attempted by but a 

 few. The closer exploration of any of its regions is sure to reward 

 the botanist in bringing forms to light which have never been observed 

 in the State, if indeed not new to science. 



SYSTEMATIC RELATIONS. 



The list of vascular plants growing without cultivation in Alabama, 

 as given in this volume, numbers between 2,500 and 2,550 recognized 

 distinct forms (species and varieties), including all the introduced, 

 adventive, and fugitive forms. Of this number, 59 are spore-bearing 

 plants Pteridophyta. Of the seed-bearing plants Spermatophy ta 

 12 species belong to the Gymnosperms, their ovules destitute of an 

 inclosing ovary; the remainder to the Angiosperms, their seeds within 

 an ovary. Of the latter, 707 distinct forms belong to the Monocoty- 

 ledons, the division consisting of plants with the embyro of the seed 

 bearing but a single cotyledon or seed leaf, and a little over 1,700 

 species and varieties belong to the Dicotyledons, comprising the angio- 

 sperms, with an embryo bearing two opposite cotyledonary leaves. 



Among the families of the above divisions most prominent by num- 

 ber of species the Compositae 1 (goldenrods, asters, sunflowers, hawk- 

 weeds, etc.) take the first place with 303 species, followed by the 

 Poaceae with 289, Cyperaceae with 140, Leguminosae 2 with 116, Nepe- 

 taceae with 60, Scrophulariaceae with 59, Rosaceae, including the plum 

 and the apple tribe, with 54. Of the families less prominent in num- 

 ber of species the Apiaceae have 46 species; Ranunculaceae, 43; 

 Euphorbiaceae, 41; Orchidaceae, 40; Polygonaceae, 38; Liliaceae, 3 

 36; Alsinaceae, 33; Polypodiaceae, 43; Malvaceae, 26; Onagraceae, 

 25; Fagaceae (chestnuts, oaks), 26; and Ericaceae, 3 21 species. 



Among the genera excelling in number of species, Panicum stands 

 first, with 71, Carex has fully 60, Aster 38, Cyperus 35, Rynchospora 

 31, Solidago 25, Eupatorium 25, Quercus 23, Paspalum 20, and 

 Hypericum 20 species and varieties. 



ENDEMIC PLANTS. 



The number of plants endemic to Alabama is small, but suggestive. 

 Only the following types are exclusively found within the limits of 



1 Carduaceae and Cichoriaceae. 



2 Mimosaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Viciaceae. 

 8 Here used in the broader sense. 



