Origin of Appalachian Mountain Flora. 233 
ancient island, for it occurs on both banks of the Delaware River to the head 
of tide water, in marshes along the New York Division of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad between Trenton and Newark, which follows the old sound bed and 
in the brackish marshes of the coast. 
In the higher Appalachian Mountains of the southern states, we find 
a forest of firs, Adies Fraseri, accompanied by such trees and shrubs, as the 
yellow birch Bezula lutea, mountain ash Sordus americana, mountain maple 
Acer spicatum, red elder Sambucus racemosa and wild red cherry Prunus penn- 
sylvanica. Other characteristic species like the striped maple Acer pennsyl- 
vanicum, hemlock 7suga canadensis, white pine Pinus strobus, and the arbor 
vitae TAuja occidentalis to much lower elevations (900 meters or less). Along 
the crest of the highest mountains of this region usually at an altitude of 
6000 feet (1800 meters) or upwards the green alder, Alnus virıdis (= A. alno- 
betula), Arenaria groenlandica, Fotentilla (Sibbaldiopsis) tridentata and Trisetum 
subspicatum are encountered. By far the greatest' surface of the mountain 
region is covered with such woody species as Deiula lenta, Magnolia umbrella 
(= M. tripetala), M. acuminata, M. Fraseri, Acer saccharinum, Rhododendron 
maximum, Kalmia latifolia, Castanea americana (= C. dentata). Mingled 
with these are Juglans nigra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Carya alba, (= Hicoria 
ovata) C. tomentosa (= Hhicoria alba), Onercus alba, O. prinus, Ilex opaca, 
Hamamelis virginiana, Fagus americana (= F. ferruginea), which are perhaps 
more characteristic of the Alleghanian flora than that lower down. The lower 
slopes of the Alleghanian flora than that lower down. The lower slopes of 
the mountains and the valleys between are largely occupied by extensions of 
the flora which distinguish the Piedmont plateau. Very characteristic species, 
especially along the streams are Platanus occidentalis, Betula nigra, Tilia 
heterophylla, Celtis occidentalis, Liquidambar styracifiua, Morus rubra, Sassa- 
Jras officinale (= S. jenes) Diospyros virginiana, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus 
virginiana (= P. inops), Pinus mitis (= P. echinata), Ulmus americana, Castanca 
pumila, and Ouercus marylandica (= O. nigra). 
rigin of Mountain Elements. There are many plants in the mountainous 
parts of the south which are probably the more or less modified descendants 
of that characteristic flora which in later Eocene or in Miocene time extended 
to high northern latitudes, also occupying the mountainous parts of what is 
now the north temperate zone‘), To be reckoned here with more or less 
confidence, are’). 
1) According to DE SAPORTA et MARION a vegetation of Magnolia, Lauraceae, Liquidambar, 
neously in the ntains of eastern North America would seem by no means unlikely. Recherches 
sur les a ni de Meximieux. Archiv. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. de Lyon ı: 304—324. 1875. 
2) KEARNEY, THoMas H. JR: The lower austral Element in the Flora of the southern Appa- 
lachian Region. Science new ser. XII: 836. Nov. 30, 1900. 
