Botmiical Excursion to the Mountains of North Carolina. 25 



tain, which rises abruptly on one side of the village, the Phce- 

 nix Mountain, a sharp ridge on the other side, and the Bluff, a 

 few miles distant in a westerly direction. The altitude of the 

 former is probably between four and five thousand feet above the 

 sea ; the latter is apparently somewhat higher. They are all 

 composed of mica-slate ; and we should remark, that we entered, 

 upon a primitive region immediately upon leaving the Valley of 

 Virginia. The mountain-sides, though steep or precipitous, are 

 covered with a rich and deep vegetable mould, and are heavily 

 timbered, chiefly with chestnut, white oak, the tuHp-tree, the cu- 

 cumber-tree, and sometimes the sugar-maple. Their vegetation 

 presents so little diversity, that it is for the most part unnecessary 

 to distinguish particular localities. Besides many of the plants 

 already mentioned, and. a very considerable number of northern 

 species which we have not room to enumerate, we collected or 

 observed on the mountain-sides, Clematis Viorna in great abun- 

 dance ; Tradescantia Yirginica ; Iris cristata in fruit ; Hedyotis 

 {Amphiotis) purpurea, which scarcely deserves the name, since 

 the flowers are commonly almost white ; Phlox paniculata 7 

 Ai^istolochia Sipho, without flowers or fruit ; Rihes Cynoshati, 

 rotundifolium, Michx., (R. triflorum, Willd.) and prostratum, 

 UHer. ; Allium cernuimi, and tricoccum ;* Galax aphylla ; Li- 

 gusticum actce.ifoliiim, the strong-scented roots of which are ea- 

 gerly sought and eaten by boys and hogs ;t the GinseJig, here 

 called sang, (the roots of which are largely collected, and sold 

 to the country merchants, when fresh for about twelve cents per 

 pound, or when dried for triple that price ;) Menziesia glohula- 

 ris, mostly in fruit ; and the showy Azalea calendulacea, which 

 was also out of flower, except in deep shade. J In the latter sit- 



* The latter is known throughout this region by the name of JRamps ; doubtless 

 a corruption of Ravisons, the popular appellation of .^. ursinumm England. 



t It is here termed Angdico ; while in Virginia it is called JVondo. Bartram, 

 (Travels, p. 45, and p. 367.) who found it in Georgia, notices it under the name of 

 Jlngelica lucida, or White-root of the Creek and Cherokee traders: " Its aromatic 

 carminative root is in taste much like that of the ginseng, though more of the 

 taste and scent of anise-seed : it is in high estimation with the Indians as well as 

 white inhabitants, and sells at a great price to the southern Indians of Florida, 

 who dwell near the sea-coast, where this never grows spontaneously." Bar- 

 tram, I. c. 



t Bartram well describes this species, under the name of Jjzalea flammea, or 

 fiery Azalea. " The epithet fiery I annex to this most celebrated species of Aza- 

 lea, as being expressive of the appearance of its flowers ; which are in general of 



Vol. xLii, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1841. 4 



