142 

 Field Trip of Sunday, September 21 



The excursion to Franklin Notch, in the Preakness Moun- 

 tain region northwest of Paterson, NJ., Sunday, Sept. 21, 

 which was scheduled for the study of agaric fungi, under the 

 leadership of Dr. William S. Thomas, was altered, owing to 

 the enforced absence of Dr. Thomas in Europe, to a general 

 one on fall flowers, although one or two mushroom addicts 

 found plenty to interest them, too especially some large masses 

 of the honey agaric, red russulas, and Caesar's Amanita. Ten 

 were present. 



The most unusual plant seen was Pedicularia lancelata, 

 the Swamp Lousewort, in the meadows along Barbour's Brook. 

 It is quite different from P. canadensis, the common woodland 

 species blooming in the spring; with stiff upright stems, one to 

 three feet high, and much larger flowers than the spring species. 

 A large colony of Spiranthes cernua was seen in this swamp, with 

 Lobelia siphilitica, Bidens cernua, Sanqiiisorha canadensis 

 (still in bloom), and Gerardia purpurea. Spiranthes gracilis 

 was found in a dryer situation. 



In the Notch, the interesting flora maintains its numbers 

 with large masses of Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum, in plentiful 

 fruit; Clematis verticillaris; one of the few places where it is 

 still found within 30 miles of New York; large stands of the 

 Upland Lady Fern- — some of the fronds over three and a half 

 feet long, exceeding the Cinnamon Fern near by — Allium tri- 

 coccnni, the Wild Leek, whose black, shot-like seeds were 

 striking at the season; Wild Ginger, Herb Robert, and plenti- 

 ful Maidenhair and Ebony Spleenwort. Cardinal Flower was 

 still in bloom in the wet spot at the south end of the Notch. 



On the old road west of High Mountain, the Colder Saxi- 

 frage, Chrysosplenium americanum, was a plant rather rare in 

 the near environs of the metropolitan district. Cancer Root, 

 Conopholis americana, was another interesting find. 



Raymond H. Torrey 



NEWS NOTES 



The New York Botanical Garden is offering a series of courses 

 on the growing of plants and on plant classification. One set 

 of courses is on Tuesday afternoons, the other on Saturdays. 



