488 Part IV. Chapter 2. 
saecharum, Tilia americana, Betula lutea, Tsuga canadensis, Aesculus flava, Fraxinus americana and 
agnolia acuminata are the prominent trees. It approximates in constitution the Aesculus- 
Acer-Betula-Facies below. Numerically Fagus predominates but the trees of Acer saccharum 
are larger and more uniformly distributed and in general give character to the type. The under- 
sella, ferns and mosses. 
The forest on the northern slopes of Roan Mountain is similar to those 
on the Swannanoa River and Grandfather Mountain. It comprises the Mixed 
deciduous formation with the Castanea - Quercus- Acer Facies, as 
well characterized as at the places described above‘), consisting of immense 
trees of Castanea, Liriodendron, Acer, Tilia, Aesculus flava, Fagus, while 
distributed through these woods at different elevations are Adiantum pedatum, 
Asplenium thelypteroides, Nephrodium spinulosum var. intermedium, N. nove- 
boracense, N. Goldieanum, N. (Phegopteris) hexagonopterum, Botrychium_ vir- 
ginianum. 
Reaching an elevation of 4500 feet (1370 m) on the Black Mountain 
range, Piea nigra (= P. mariana) is found sparingly in the forest, as out- 
posts of the main coniferous forest above. Associated in such places, the 
botanist finds as indication of a rise in altitude Diphylleia cymosa, Veratrum 
viride, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Thalictrum clavatum, and an abundance 
of Houstonia serpyllifolia. As he approaches “Half Way” (5200 feet, 1585 m) 
the forest of deciduous trees become more open by the lowering of the crown 
of the dominant trees (Aesculus-Acer-Betula Facies) an index of altitude. 
A somewhat different assemblage of species is found on Grandfather 
Mountain at an elevation above 4500 feet (1370 m). The dominant trees 
are Quercus rubra, Picea nigra, Acer saccharum, Prunus pennsylvanicum on 
the drier soils, and 7suga canadensis ascending along the water courses to 
about 4700 feet (1430 m). The secondary species are Acer pennsylvanıcum, 
Sorbus americana, Viburnum lantanoides and Acer spicatum. Occuring as 
undershrubs are Rhododendron calendulaceum and Ribes rotundifolium. 
On Roan Mountain the first indication of a rise in altitude is furnished 
by Acer spicatum, and then by Acer Dennsylvanicum, which does not descend 
quite as low as the mountain maple. Viburnum lantanoides occurs in great 
abundance when at an altitude of 4500 feet (1370 m) is reached. Houstonia 
serpyllifolia carpets the ground in many places, while in damp places Diphylleia 
cymosa forms masses beneath the shade of the dominant forest trees, and in 
rivulets is found Saxifraga erosa. 
The herbaceous plants of the forest floor at this elevation are Caulophyllum thalictroides, 
Actaea alba, Cimicifuga racemosa, Tiarella eordifolia, Sanguinaria canadensis, Podophyllum pel- 
tatum, Circaea alpina, Solidago caesia, Eupatorium ageratoides, Gentiana quinqueflora, Rudbeckia 
laciniata, R. triloba var. rupestris, Habenaria (Blephariglottis) peramoena, Cacalia atriplicifolia, 
Habenaria (Lysias) orbiculata, Chelone Lyoni, and Polystichum acrostichoides. A few straggling 
1) HARSHBERGER, JOHN W.: An ecologie study of the Flora of mountainous North Carolina 
Botanical Gazette XXXVI: 241—258; 368— 383. Oct. and Nov. 190 
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