31 



The coniferous species are most conspicuous from a distance but 

 do not comprise the largest number of individuals. There are 

 four species. Tsiiga cm'oliniana is abundant all over the northern 

 and western brow of the mountain (Fig. 2). Pimis piingens is as 

 conspicuous and more generally distributed down the backbone 

 of the mountain (Fig. 3), as well as occurring as twisted and 

 deformed individuals in crevices and on ledges on the upper 

 slopes of the cliffs. Jjiniperiis virginiana is scattered along 

 exposed places and is always dwarfed or grotesque in shape. 



'''•*««>«^ *- 



Figure 2. Hemlocks on the northern and western brow. 



Pinus rigida is found chiefly along and down the backbone of 

 the mountain, the forest of which partakes more of the char- 

 acter of that of the adjacent dry ridges. Of these four con- 

 ifers, the last only is common throughout the adjacent region, 

 Jitniperus being very rare and Tsiiga caroliniana being repre- 

 sented by but one mature individual in the Pink Beds, and none 

 so far as known on Pisgah Ridge. Pinus pungens occurs in 

 scattered colonies along the exposed slopes of Pisgah Ridge, and 

 rarely in the Pink Beds valley, which is underlaid by Whiteside 

 granite, sometimes exposed. 



