130 PLANT LIFE OF ALABAMA. 



Of these the first two are frequent perennials, both confined to the 

 coast and ranging from Florida to Mexico, true sand binders with 

 their running rhizomes deeply buried. The sand burs are annuals from 

 the same regions. 



Of the sedge family Cyperus lecontei, ranging from the coast of 

 Florida to Louisiana, and the common Cyperus strigosiis, are frequent. 

 Other herbaceous plants here found are: 



Euplwrbia polygonifolia. Polygcmella graeilis. 



Salsola kali. Physalu angustifolia. 



Froelichia floridana. Linaria floridana. 



Siphonychia erecta. Baldwinia multiftora. 



Siphonychia diffusa. Heterotheca subaxittaris. 



Paronychia riparia. Oenothera humi/usa. 

 Stipulicida setacea. 



Of these the first three range northward to New England and the 

 Great Lakes. The remainder, except the last two, are typical littoral 

 sand plants, ranging from the shores of North Carolina, Georgia, 

 and Florida to Louisiana; the last two are perennials of about the 

 same range. 



A small group of low shrubs and suffrutescent perennials, highly 

 characteristic types, mingle on the sandy benches above with these 

 associations of herbs, all of which are at home in corresponding locali- 

 ties in southern Georgia and Florida. Chrysoma (Solidago) pami- 

 flosculosa, known as golden rod, is the most frequent among them, an 

 undershrub which is extremely conspicuous when covered with its pro- 

 fusion of golden yellow flowers, and later on account of its densely 

 tufted stems retaining their foliage almost throughout the winter. 

 With these are found Conradina canescens, confined to the shores of 

 western Florida and Alabama, with the rare Polygonella polygama 

 and Ilelianthemum arenicola, all sparsely diffused along the shore of 

 western Florida. Cuscuta indecora, not observed in the State outside 

 of this region, is frequently parasitic on the Chrysoma pwiciflosculosa. 



Xeropliile plant associations of the dunes. On the southern shore of 

 Dauphine Island and on the main shore eastward to Perdido Ba}' hill- 

 ocks of drifting white sands, thrown up by the unobstructed action of 

 winds and waves, rise above the beach, frequently inclosing shallow 

 swamps and pools between them. On these dunes the live oak makes 

 a more or less scrubby growth, frequently not exceeding in size the 

 sand oak {Quercus myrtifolid), with which it is associated. The latter 

 is an evergreen shrub branched from the base and from 5 to 8 feet in 

 height. These, with Ceratiola ericoides and dwarfed wax myrtles, 

 form an association of xerophile evergreen bushes, augmented by 

 Chrysoma paudflosculosa and Polygonella gracilis, the whole fre- 

 quently intertwined with the stems of the woody creepers Ampelopsis 

 incisa and Smilax auriculata. On the crests and steep sides of the 

 hillocks the so-called sea oat (Uniola paniculata) forms open patches. 



