72 
stops for collecting along the way, brought us at sundown to the 
most southern portion of Lake Okeechobee, called South bay. 
s we approached the lake a gradual elevation of the land was 
noticeable. This higher land supported dense hammocks, con- 
sisting chiefly of pond-apple or custard-a - (Anona glabra), 
while the most a and everblooming shrub there is the 
southern-elder (Sambucus pea However, by far the 
commonest plant of all is a high-climbing vine, known in cultiva- 
ion as the moon-flower (Calonyction ie ). There it is 
ubiquitous, and in many hammocks it covers everything and 
every place. This vine runs over the herbaceous vegetation and 
shrubs and climbs to the tops of the highest trees, and where there 
is no vegetation it covers the ground. We were favored by 
bright moonlight during most of the nights spent on the lake 
and in the Everglades. The sight of acres, if not of miles, of 
‘moon-vine with its deep-green leaves and thousands of large 
white flowers throughout the night and in the early morning 
was more beautiful than words can describe. At day-break on 
largest of the four islands of the lake. The morning was devoted 
to exploring Torry island and making collections of the plants 
served there. Access to the hammocks of this island is often 
difficult chiefly on account of mud-flats which extend far from 
the shore. These expanses ee ie the most non- aia 
liquid mud I ever experienced 
maiden-cane (Panicum henslamien), ps fee he 
water-hyacinth (Piaropus crassipes), water-lettuce (Pistia Strati- 
otes) and pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata), but any one who 
sets foot thereon sinks in the mud to an indefinite depth about 
as readily as in pure water. Behind these mud flats one meets 
with a very dense line of pond-apple or custard- aes trees with 
curiously buttressed or branched trunks. rees ofte 
form hammocks acres in extent to the exclusion of al other ae 
In these groves, other vegetation is scant. Various vines struggle 
to the tops of the trees for sunlight, those more conspicuous are, 
