23 



immediate, region, and are therefore to be regarded as relict 

 endemics, which could not have arisen recently, from related 

 species, for there are none from which they could have been 

 derived. Evidently they are relicts of that ancient southern 

 flora, some of which has been lost, leaving these generic outposts 

 in our area. Although Uvularia nitida belongs to a genus con- 

 taining two other species, within our area its nearest relative 

 {U. puherula) is a plant from the southeastern United States. 

 On this account it should, in all probability, be considered a 

 relict endemic like the others, all of which, with it, are species 

 of endemic genera. Only Dendrium is woody, although this 

 group of endemics is to be considered the most ancient of any 

 that are found here. 



There is another group of local endemics which seems to be, 

 and probably is, of very recent origin. They are found in genera 

 that, so far as the local region is concerned, dwindle in numbers 

 in their passage through the region. In the following table are 

 given the endemics of this class, the number of local species in 

 the genus in which they are contained, and the number of native 

 species of that genus that reach their distribution outposts here: 



Number of Local Number of Species 



Native Species in Genera Reaching Distribution 



Endemic Species. Containing Endemics.* Outposts in the Area. 



Sporobulus Toneyanus 7 2 



J uncus caesariensis 27 7 



Salix squatnata 19 5 



Prunus alleghaniensis 7 2 



Hypericum Bissellii 13 3 



Kneiffia Allenii S I 



Eupatorium reshiosum 14 3 



Euthamia floribunda 3 i 



Helianthus Dalyi 8 3 



Senecio Crawfordii 5 2 



It would seem that to this generic instability, if it can be so 

 called, is due the origin of the endemic species in the above list. 



* In each case less one species, the endemic one. As will be seen subsequently 

 it is obviously improper to count the endemic species in this column. The basis 

 of the argument is that they are derivatives of the generic content of our flora, 

 and therefore should not be included in a count of the elements of that content. 

 As derivatives we must exclude them from the count of the material from which 

 they have been derived. 



