3o6 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [october 



A surprising lack of lianas was observed in the Delaware 

 region, Parthenocissus occurring occasionally, and Vitis aestivalis 

 and Smilax rotufidijolia appearing in one situation, while 

 *' trumpet creeper "was collected in the surrounding country. 

 This scarcity of climbers is in striking contrast to the condition 

 described for other strand regions. 



The pine swamp flora (Osmunda, Dryopteris, Oxycoccus, etc.) 

 is composed of the usual undrained swamp forms, but no 

 Sphagnum was found, and apparently the same is true ot New 

 Jersey, although one or two species are reported for Virginia/^ 



The similarity of strand conditions is therefore shown by the 

 similarity of floras, for regardless of a wide difference in 

 temperature there is a striking resemblance between the lists of 

 forms found in New Jersey and Delaware and those reported for 

 Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida, while in spite of the fresh 

 water condition on Lake Michigan the occurrence there of 

 many genera and species which also inhabit the ocean strand 

 bears evidence of common factors in the environment. These 

 seem to be the excessive light and heat and strong wind-action 

 of the sandy regions, the last being probably the most important 

 element. In addition, the power of a large body of water in 

 equalizing temperature explains in part the presence of many 

 forms on the New Jersey, Delaware, and the Gulf coasts. 



I wish here to express my thanks to Dr. C. F. Millspaugh of 

 the Field Columbian Museum, Mrs. Agnes Chase of Chicago, 

 Dr. J. N. Rose of the National Museum, and Dr. J. W. 

 Harshberger of the University of Pennsylvania, for their kind 

 assistance in identification ; and I wish also to acknowledge my 



for valuable criticism and suggestions. 



J 



The University of Chicago. 



^* Kearney, Dismal Swamp 428 



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