PREFACE. 



The Plants of North Carolina have long been con- 

 sidered by Botanists as unsurpassed in variety and 

 beauty by those of any States of the Union, except- 

 ing a few of those which lie upon the Gulf of Mexico. 

 The Flora of this State should properly be regarded 

 as forming the transition between the Northern and 

 Southern Botanical Districts, as it is within our 

 boundaries that many of the Northern plants have 

 their Southern limits, and some of those which form 

 a peculiar feature of Southern vegetation commence. 

 Of the latter species are the Pond Pine^ several 

 Magnolias^ Palmetto^ &c. There is still another cir- 

 cumstance which gives a much greater variety to our 

 vegetation than could be derived from mere differ- 

 ence of 2 1 degrees of latitude between her Northern 

 and Southern boundaries. The Mountains on the 

 Western border of the State are several liundred feet 

 higher than any others in the Union, so that tlie dif- 

 ference of elevation between these and our sea-coast 

 occasions a difference of vegetation equal to that of 

 10 or 12 degrees of latitude. Thus upon tlie higher 

 summits are found species such as belong to the 

 White Mountains of New Hampshire, those in the 

 N. E. part of New York, and to Canada. The inter- 



