494 Part IV. Chapter 2. 
dumosa, Vaceinium stamineum. The pine-clad slopes of Cheehawhaw Mountains, the Blue Moun- 
tains are covered sparingly on the steep declines with coarse grasses Andropogon RS A. 
scoparius, Erianthus alopecuroides, Lespedeza Nuttallüü, L. frutescens, L. virginica, L. hirta, L. ca- 
as Amorpha virgata, Phaseolus perennis (= P. polystachyus), Cassia chamaecrista, Ba 
‚ E. aromaticum, Sericocarpus asteroides, Chrysopsis graminifolia, C. mariana, Aster patens, 
m RR, 
The extension of the Cumberland mountain table land into Alabama 
is characterized by Pinus mitis and P. taeda, wherever Ouercus Prinus is ab- 
sent. These trees reach marketable size (2 feet diameter, 110—120 feet tall). 
The scrub pine Pinus inops (= P. virginiana) is found on the poorest soils at 
an elevation of 1200 feet, but is not frequent. In this rather open forest groW 
Vaccinium vacıllans and stamineum, Rhododendron nudifleorum, Stuartia penta- 
gyna, Ilex monticola, and its var. mollis, Hydrangea quercifolia, while along 
the rocky edges of the smaller streams grow Vaccinium tenellum, Kalmia 
atıfolia, Rhododendron arborescens, Stuartia virginica and Pirus angusti- 
folıa '). 
Pine Barren Formations as interjected hill-elements. Interjected into the 
plant formations and associations of the southern Appalachian Mountain area, 
as described above, the phytogeographer finds especially along the French 
Broad River, in east Tennessee and western North Carolina a strong pine 
barren element in the flora?). In these isolated pine barren areas which cover 
sandy river bottoms and the dry, sunny lower slopes of the hills are found 
plants typical of the coastal plain. One such colony is found on the French 
Broad River below Paint Rock, North Carolina. Where the bluffs recede from 
the river are sandy tracts covered with a growth of Pinus rigida and P. inops 
(= P. virginiana). Not a few of the characteristic pine-barren plants inhabits 
these small areas such as: Sz/phium compositum, Helianthus atrorubens, Andro- 
pogon argyraeus, Sporobolus asper, Erianthus alopecuroides, Danthonia sericea, 
Triodia Chapmani, etc. Back from the river, on the lower hills where oaks 
and chestnuts struggle with the invading pines are Spiranthes simplex, Buch- 
nera americana, Lilium carolinianum, Eupatorium album. 
Another noteworthy colony of this character occurs at a mean elevation 
of about 1000 feet in the canyon-like valley of the Hiwassee River in ex- 
treme southeastern Tennessee. Here grow most of the above named grasses 
with Andropogon Elliottii, Paspalum purpurascens, Panicum gibbum, P.viscidum, 
Erianthus contortus, E. brevibarbis, Uniola longifolia; Baptisia alba, Aralia 
spinosa and many others. 
Dwarf Tree—Shrub Formation. The summits of King’s and Crowder’s 
Mountains are small and very rugged; that of Crowder’s is somewhat larger 
and less acer than that of King’s Mountain. On ascending the slopes of either 
1) MOHR, CHARLES: Plant Life of Alabama 1901: 70—71. 
2) Kearney, THOMAS H.: The pine barren Flora in the east Tennessee Mountains. Plant 
World I: 33—35 Dec. 1897; also the lower austral Element in the Flora of the southern Ap- 
palachian Region. Science XII: 830—842, Nov. 30, 1900 
