70 



ECONOMIC BOTANY OF ALABAMA 



Fig. 17. Burned forest of Jiiiii/^criis J'irf/iiiiaiia on limestone slopes 

 of Smithers Mountain (above the Hartselle sandstone), Madison County, 

 March 16, 1913. This is a very unusual sight, for the habitats of the 

 cedar are generally well protected from fire. The fire probably originated 

 in the oak woods on the sandstone below, and ran up the slope. 



soils. In Alabama and other soiitliern states the cedar is com- 

 monly regarded as being especially partial to limestone, btit there 

 seems to be no such relation in New England, and even with us it 

 grows perfectly well on granite and sandstone. 



The cedars near the coast of the southeastern states are re- 

 garded by some of the splitters as a distinct species, which has 

 been called at different times Juiiipcnis Barbadciisis, J. Lucayana, 

 and Sabiua silicicohi; but the alleged differences are very small. 

 And if there were really two species in these states one of three 

 conditions could have to be fulfilled. First, their ranges might 

 be entirely distinct and widely separated, like those of the closely 

 related Piiiits J'ir(/iiiia}ia and P. cluiisa, already mentioned. But 

 there is no considerable gap, as the map shows, and if the coast 

 cedars are really different from those in the Tennessee Valley 

 those in the lime hills would probably have to be put with them. 

 Second, they might intergrade over an ill-defined zone, as many 

 pairs of doubtfully species seem to do. But the splitters have not 

 suggested any intergradation. Third, they might overlap and oc- 

 ctipy different habitats in the zone common to both, like our two 



