MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 1ST 



straggling habit found in this zone are Strophostyles umbellata, 

 Diodia teres, Polygonum maritimum and Atriplex hastata. In some 

 cases Onagra biennis, Melilotus alba and Xantliium canadcnse vent- 

 ure out into this zone. 



Zone 3. — On higher ground, frequently very gravelly, a some- 

 what different assemblage is found, though this zone is not always 

 clearly marked off from the preceding. Where gravel is abundant, 

 Chondrilla juncea is the dominant plant of this area, but Leptilon 

 canadense and Capriola dactylon are frequent, and Xanthium cana- 

 dense, Diodia teres, Echium vulgare and Opuntia opuntia make up 

 an assemblage notable for their prickly character. Euphorbia ipe- 

 cacuanhae was found on the sand at Cove Point, Calvert County, 

 and Panicum amarum at Turkey Point, Anne Arundel County, 

 in similar position to the preceding. As a little humus accumulates, 

 Phytolacca dccandra, Saponaria officinalis, Plantago lanceolata make 

 their appearance, while Asparagus officinalis escapes from cultivation 

 and even seems to be able to grow in soil containing a fair proportion 

 of salt. 



An inner beach consisting of movable or stationary dunes was not 

 observed bordering on the comparatively very quiet waters of the 

 Chesapeake and Potomac, but at Turkey Point some small dunes, 

 4 to 10 feet in diameter, were seen, and they presented the unusual 

 feature of being held together by Spartina patens rather than by 

 Ammopliila arenaria, which is the sand binder of the dunes at Ocean 

 City. 



The marginal trees of areas bordering on salt water may properly 

 be mentioned here. Red Cedar comes as near to the shore as any 

 of the trees invading the zone occupied by Baccharis, Myrica and 

 Bosa. Both Red Cedar and Persimmon occur as much stunted 

 individuals on the middle beach. Yellow Locust also occurs in ex- 

 posed situations, as may be well seen on Poole's Island, off Gun- 

 powder Neck, Harford County, where it replaces the pines. It is 

 a common tree of bluffs which overlook the Bay, as at Chesapeake 

 Beach. In similar situations the Hackberry may occur, also either 

 of the pines, especially the Loblolly in the southern part of the dis- 

 trict. Other trees of less frequent occurrence near salt water are: 

 Sweet Gum, Ash, Buttonwood and American Elm. The unfavorable 



