324 KCOXOAIIC BOTAXY OF ALABAMA 



SUMMARY OF THE CATALOGUE. 



The following- table indicates the number of genera containing 

 native woody plants, and of native species of large trees, small 

 trees, woody vines and shrubs, in each plant family that is repre- 

 sented by woody plants growing wild in Alal)ama, 7 4 families in 

 all as here interi)reted. Introduced species are noted in a cokmm 

 at the right, without distinction as to size, but the varieties, hv- 

 brids. and species of doul)tful occurrence or validity, mentioned 

 incidentally in the foregoing pages, are not counted at all. 



'J'he numbers in the table of course cannot be regarded as 

 final in any case, for there will always be differences of opinion 

 as to wdiat constitutes a genus or species, it is impossible to draw 

 a sharp line between tree and shrub (and the same species may be 

 both at different times or places), and additional species may be 

 found in the state almost any day. These numbers represent a con- 

 servative estimate, for there is no obvious advantage in claiming 

 as many species as possible, to make it appear that Alabama has 

 more kinds of trees or shrubs than some other states. 



