C}'ypti>gains : L. M. Underwood, M. i\. Howe, Elizabeth G. 

 Britten. 



Committee on Program : N. L. Britton, M. A. Howe, L. ^^. 

 Underwood. 



Committee on Field ICxcursions : Eugene Smith, G. V. Nash, 

 Miss M. L. Sanial, Miss L. K. Lawall, \\. W. Berry. 



The first paper on the scientific program was by Dr. J. K. 

 Small on " Some recent E.xplorations in southern Florida." 

 Dr. Small was accompanied on his trip by Mr. J. J. Carter of 

 Pennsylvania and for a part of the time by A. A. P2aton, who 

 paid special attention to the orchids and ferns. From Miami as 

 a base, expeditions were made in different directions. One trip 

 was made to the northward in the direction of F"t. Worth. Four 

 strikingly different plant formations were noted in this region : 

 (i) sand ridges covered with gnarled and stunted trees and 

 shrubs mixed with cacti with almost no grass or herbaceous 

 vegetation ; (2) low-lying moist lands covered with grasses and 

 sedges but destitute of trees and shrubs ; (3) the pine lands ; and 

 (4) the hammocks filled with broad-leaved evergreens and decidu- 

 ous trees. The country south of Miami is just being opened up 

 to settlement and is still, in a primitive condition. Most of the 

 excursions were in this direction, explorations being made for a 

 distance of 45 miles. The region consists of low coral-limestone 

 ridges with no appreciable soil but still supporting a dense pine 

 forest. The lower levels are filled with water and constitute arms 

 of the everglades. The pine lands are interspersed with occa- 

 sional small hammocks. An exceedingly interesting flora was 

 found, and over a thousand numbers were collected, which in- 

 clude an unusual proportion of new and interesting things. So 

 far as the collections have been studied the plants from the ham- 

 mocks show a close relationship to the Cuban flora and include 

 a considerable number of West Indian species not heretofore 

 known from the mainland. The pineland species on the contrary 

 are largely endemic and include many undescribed species. 



In the discussion which followed the reading of the paper it 

 was stated that the expedition would probably add at least a 

 hundred species to the known flora of the United States. 



