Dicentra eximia at the Delaware Water Gap 



James L. Edwards 



On January 15th, 1933, Mr. Leon W.Bowen, Mr.W. L. High- 

 ton, and the writer went to the Delaware Water Gap to look 

 for evergreen Aspleniums on the cliffs with the hope of finding 

 either Bradley's or the Pinnatifid Spleenwort growing with the 

 Mountain Spleenwort which is fairly common there. While 

 climbing over the ledges on the New Jersey side, about a third 

 of the way to the top, the withered leaves and flower stalks of 

 an unfamiliar plant were noticed in the crevices of the rocks. 

 When examined closely, the general resemblance to the culti- 

 vated Bleeding Heart led us to believe that the plants were 

 Dicentra eximia (Ker.) Torrey, which none of the party had 

 ever seen growing in a wild state. On June 1st, 1933, the writer 

 returned to the spot to check the identification, found the plants 

 in full bloom, and collected specimens. The plants were found 

 in one relatively small area on the mountain side. Many of them 

 were growing on easily accessible shelves but a few large and 

 healthy plants were seen high up on the face of the cliff. After 

 surveying this locality the writer spent some time looking 

 across the river with field glasses at the cliffs on the Pennsyl- 

 vania side speculating as to the possibility of the plant being 

 found there also. It was noted that the same more resistant 

 strata of rocks appeared in cliffs on both sides of the river at 

 about the same elevation and that apparently favorable ledges 

 existed directly opposite the New Jersey site. On July 29th, 

 1933, with Mr. W. L. Highton, these Pennsylvania ledges were 

 visited and a few plants were found very close to the section 

 previously chosen as the most likely place. Due to the heat of 

 the day extended search was not attempted and consequently 

 the extent of the Pennsylvania station is not known to the 

 writer at the present time. 



This handsome plant was formerly found in central New 

 York. In Pennsylvania it has been recorded from McKean Co. 

 in the western part of the state. The station at the Delaware 

 Water Gap appears to be at least 150 miles from any other 

 station. Probably the discovery of the plant at the Water Gap 



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