ST. JOHN: SABLE ISLAND. 81 



against the eroding forces that threaten to destroy the island. In 

 1633 John Rose reported, "store of wild peas" (Winthrop, John: His- 

 tory of New England from 1630 to 1 649, ed. James Savage i. 162, 1825). 

 Writing in 1753 Andrew Le Mercier (L) says of the island, "It 

 hath abundance of Wild or Beach Pease, which fatten the cattle very 

 well." In 1766 and 1767 Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Banes 

 found "wild pease" (Atlantic Neptune i. 68, 1777). Seth Coleman 

 in 1801 found the "wild Pea" (Kept, on Canadian Archives 91,1895). 

 Joseph Howe, in 1851, "was agreeably surprised to find it covered, 

 for nearly its whole length of five and twenty miles, with natural 

 grass and wild peas" (Append, to Journ. cf House of Assembly of 

 N. S. 161, 1851). The "wild pea" is mentioned by J. B. Gilpin, 

 1858 (G. p. 18). J. C. Tache mentions the abundance of the"Len- 

 tille du Canada, qu'on nomme ici 'pois sauvages'" (T. p. 29). 

 J. Dwight, Jr. (D. p. 13) lists this with Gnaphalium sp. and calls 

 them both weeds! Macoun says (M. p. 215A), "This one species 

 of grass [Ammophila arenaria] with the wild pea (Lathyrus maritimus) 

 constitutes the bulk of the wild hay cut for winter fodder and the 

 winter pasturage of the wild horses." Listed by J. Macoun and 

 H. T. Gussow. H. St. John, nos. 1,265 and 1, 266 (H). 

 FL, Fr. August. 



[L. PALUSTRIS L. of J. Macoun's and H. T. Gussow's list is of the 

 var. macranthus.] 



L. palustris L., var. macranthus (T. G. White) Fernald. See 

 Rhodora, xiii. 50 (1911). Abundant at the swampy or sandy borders 

 of the fresh-water ponds. J. Macoun (C. nos. 21,165 and 21,195); 

 H. T. Gussow (E); H. St. John, nos. 1,267 and 1,268 (H). 



FL, Fr. August and September. 



[L. PALUSTRIS L., var. MYRTIFOLIUS (Muhl.) Gray of J. Macoun's 

 list is of the var. macranthus.] 



L. palustris L., var. retusus Fernald & St. John, n. var., sub- 

 pilosus, caule tenue paulo alato, stipulis lanceolatis semisagittatis 

 8-18 mm. longis, foliolis 2-3-jugis spatulatis vel cuneato-ellipticis 

 mucronatis retusis 2-4.5 cm. longis, 0.6-1.6 cm. latis, cirrhis 2-4- 

 fidis, 4-floris, 1.21.6 cm. longis, legumine 4 cm. longo. 



Somewhat pilose throughout: the stem slender, slightly winged: 

 stipules lanceolate, semisagittate, 8-18 mm. long: leaflets of 2 or 3 

 pairs, spatulate or cuneate-elliptic, mucronate, retuse, 2-4.5 cm. 

 long, 0.6-1.6 cm. wide: tendrils well developed, 2-4-parted: flowers 

 4 in number, 1.2-1.6 cm. in length: the pod 4 cm. long. 



