138 



About two-thirds of the way back to the inner ridge the tropical 

 palmetto {Inodcs Palniettd) suddenly appears in abundance and 

 extends backward over the inner dunes (avoiding only the un- 

 stable crest where they terminate) into the fresh marsh and the 

 woods behind. The long irregular line of luxuriant palmettoes 

 capping the dunes presents a most attractive picture and gives 

 to this island a clear title to its name. Among the palmettoes 



Jmc. I. Strand- and saiul-duiie vegefatioii, Isle of I'alins, S. C. See page 137. 



occur large clusters of the familiar poke-berry {Phytolacca dccan- 

 dra). The capacity of this weed to flourish in such unfavorable 

 situations was a surprise to me, and I have not seen it mentioned 

 as a strand plant by others. Scattered here and there on the 

 almost bare sand are clumps of Sa/so/a Kali with its succulent 

 spiny leaves and an occasional specimen of Yucca aloifolia. Here 

 also was found a little Physalis pubcsccns and the very interesting 

 Polygonum inaritinium, which in habit and appearance scarcely 

 recalls the other species of the genus. Of the four sand-binding 

 grasses mentioned as prominent on the outer ridges, only Uniola 

 extends backward among the palms, but Ccnchrus tribuloidcs is 

 everywhere present in dry soil except on the most unstable .sand. 

 In certain places the inner ridge was lower and more broken and 



