

56 



i 



in doubt on account of not finding any fruit The only 

 other representative of the genus present was Q. aqitatica. 

 NysHu 'biflora and N. sylvatica were amongst the most con- 

 spicuous trees. N. riniflora, under the name of ** poison oak/' 

 was not so common. My negro boatman warned me not to 

 touch this tree on account of its poisonous properties, but as 

 no evil effects have yet ensued from handling the specimens 

 I do not place much faith in the legend. Lencothoe racemosa, 

 Andromeda ligiistrina and several other shrubs were col- 



r 



lected indiscriminately, and amongst them we found, on more 

 careful examination, Androineda nitiday another addition to 

 the flora of the region. Gei^ai^dia purpurea, with white flow- 



ijii 



canal. 



L' 



M 



Our intention had been to explore the vicinity of Fortress 



There is but little doubt that many new and interesting finds 

 await the botanist in this region, as indicated by the four 

 species new to the State added in two days' collecting so late 

 in the season, and 113 other species which we found of suffi- 

 cient interest to bring back with us. 



iS ' 



' V 





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5, 



Utriciilaria purpjirea was abundant in places close to the 

 banks, and masses o{ EriopJioruni Virginiciwi were frequent. 

 A single specimen representing a variety of Rynchospora 

 axillaris was obtained. Most all of the large trees were cut 

 for timber many years since, and although there are a few 

 specimens of Taxodium distichtini, they are only of small sec- 

 ond growth, with '* knees" very little developed. A peculiar 

 delicate bell-shaped fungus frequently infests the branches of 

 this tree, giving the young ones the appearance of erica- 

 ceous shrubs. Nes(Ba verticillata, with splendidly developed 

 aerenchymous branches, bordered the canal for miles. On 

 the roadside between Suffolk and the canal a dense growth 

 of .a clover-like plant attracted our attention, which turned 



r 



out to be Lespedeza striata, a still further addition to the 



flora of the region. Oxydendrum ardoreicm, Solidago puberula 



and Chrysopsis graminifolia were also collected along the s 



said roadside. 



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