MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 205 



A few trees which are quite abundant in open situations some- 

 times enter into the make-up of the forest, as the Yellow Locust, the 

 Sassafras, the Ked Cedar, the Persimmon, the Wild Black Cherry 

 and the Hackberry. The Red Oak and the Shagbark Hickory are 

 infrequent trees, both of which are much more abundant in the Up- 

 per Midland District and the Mountain Zone. The stands of pine 

 which occur being young and dense are very poor in shrubby and 

 herbaceous undergrowth. The seedlings of the Black and Scarlet 

 Oaks are common, and the Dogwood, together with the Squawberry 

 and a scattered growth of xerophilous grasses and such composites 

 and leguminous plants as are common in the pine forests of the 

 Coastal Zone make up the total of a vegetation which is in striking 

 contrast with that of the nearby deciduous forests. 



The undergrowth in the Loam topland is made up to a great 

 extent of young seedling trees rather than of shrubs, — in strong con- 

 trast to the conditions in the Coastal Zone. The Dog-wood is the com- 

 monest of the shrubs and smaller trees, often being extremely abun- 

 dant. Other common species are Viburnum dentatum., Vaccinium 

 sin mi ncitm, Gaylussacia resinosa, Viburnum acerifolium, Rhus 

 hirta. Viburnum prunifolium, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum. 



The herbaceous vegetation of the forests on the loams is extremely 

 rich and varied, probably embracing one third of the herbaceous 

 flora of the state. Many species are common and widespread, others 

 are confined to deep shade, others to open forests and still others to 

 rocky soils. Many others are infrequent or rare in no relation to 

 physical conditions. In the same places in the forest there are like- 

 wise differences in the aspect of the herbaceous vegetation during 

 the different months of the growing season. In the last week of 

 March and the early part of April the following are in bloom and 

 conspicuous: Hepatica hepatica, Sanguinaria canadensis, Carex 

 pennsylvanica, Claytonia virginica, Viola lahradorica, Juncoides 

 campestre and Alsine media. One or two weeks later follow : Epigaea 

 repens, Asarum canadense, Syndesmon thalictroides, Carex nigro- 

 marginaia, Aquilegia canadensis, Potentilla canadensis, Antennaria 

 neo-dioica, Mitella diphylla, Viola blanda and others. After the last 

 weeks of May there is a period in which relatively few species are 



