Maritime Distriet: New. England. 381 
moraine with small areas of sand-beach and dunes, affording a place for such 
species as can exist under such conditions. The geologic indications are that 
Block Island was the first strip of land to be isolated and converted into an 
island. The flora of the plain region, coming largely from the south and 
possibly always having existed close to the ice front would be the first to 
advance and occupy the ground, while that of the moraine, being of a more 
northern type could not become established, says HOLLICK*) until the conditions 
due to glaciation northward had become modified, so that it could exist there 
and become established on such morainal deposits, as those which constitute 
the northern portion of Block Island. 
2. Sea coast Formations. 
The flora of the sea coasts of the New England Area may be divided into 
that found on the rocky shores and that confined to the sandy beaches and 
dune areas. The rocky cliffs and iron-bound coast line are perhaps the most 
extensive with small sandy beaches between formed by tidal action. These 
latter may be neglected in our discussion, because their vegetation is more 
characteristically developed on the peninsula of Cape Cod which may be taken 
as representative of the halophytic flora. 
Rock Cliff Formation. The rocks of the coast according to the observations 
of j. W. HARSHBERGER on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and Conanicut Island, 
Rhode Island are bare of vegetation, where the storm-waves dash, but beyond 
the reach of the tide in Maine Aumpetrum nigrum forms dense matted cushions 
associated with Junzperus sabina var. procumbens, Solidago sempervirens and 
on sandy shores Cakile americana, Salsola Kali, Mertensia maritima. 
Strand Formation. The typic sand beach and sand dune formation in 
eastern Massachusetts consists of such plants, as 
Cakile americana Nutt. (= C. eden- | Artemisia Stelleriana Bess. 
tula Bigel.). » caudata Michx. 
 Prunus maritima Wang. Salsola Kali L 
Euphorbia polygonifolia L. Xanthium canadense var. echinatum 
henopodium rubrum L. 
Atriplex arenaria Nutt. 
Glaux maritima L. 
ray. 
Ammophila arenaria L. (= A. arundi- 
nacea Host.). 
Arenaria (Ammodenia) peploides L. 
Triodia (Triplasis) purpurea Hack. 
Statice limonium carolinianum Gray 
(= Limonium carolinianum Walt.). 
Polygonella articulata Meisn. 
Solidago sempervirens L. 
Spergularia (Buda) marina L. 
Salicornia ambigua Michx. 
n Cape Cod the beach plants form a strip just above the action of the ti akil 
PORT EREN, Lathyrus maritimus, Xanthium canadense var. echinatum, Euphorbia ae may 
I) nt ARTHUR: nn on Block Island. Annals New York Academy Sciences 1898 XI: 
55—88; EY, W. W. 
and ne 
and Corins, J. F.: List of Plants found on Block Island, R. I. in July 
BR Torrey a Club XX, 
1893: 231—239. 
