173 



"low, wet river banks and swamps'* suggest the same reasons for its occur- 

 rence in the Indiana flora as has been suggested for the preceding species. 



Hardy Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa Warder) is a tree of the borders of 

 streams and ponds and of fertile often flooded bottom lands. According to 

 Sargent it is probably found in its greatest abundance and of the largest 

 size in soutbern Illinois and Indiana, extending to western Kentucky and 

 Tennessee, southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. In Indiana 

 it is confined to Knox. Gibson, Posey and Vigo counties as a member of the 

 original forests. Its occurrence in other counties is due to its widespread 

 cultivation for post material or for ornamental purposes. Deam says, 8 "In 

 Indiana it was found along the valley of the Ohio River as far east as 

 Rockport and in the valley of the Wabash as far north as Vigo County. 

 The mass of its distribution was west of a line connecting Terre Hante and 

 Rockport." The citations given are. however, all that can be considered as 

 verified. In the catalpa we evidently have another case in which the dis- 

 tribution is easily explained if it is related to a northward extension of the 

 Gulf or to a condition of flooded rivers. 



The Swell-butt Ash (Fraxiiius Michauxii Britton ) usually grows in 

 low grounds which are inundated for several months during the year. As 

 its common name indicates the swollen base is characteristic of this species. 

 It has been collected in Gibson, Posey and Marion counties by C. C. Deam. 

 The Gibson and Posey County stations represent normal conditions for the 

 species ; the Marion County collection is in different case. The tree, which 

 was of medium size, was growing in moist soil by the roadside. The known 

 <are and accuracy of Mr. Deam preclude any doubt as to the determina- 

 tion, so that the occurrence of the species in this station must be referred 

 to some accidental means of transportation or to what is perhaps more 

 probable, the incorrect labelling of material furnished by some nursery for 

 roadside planting. As a component member of our native forests the 

 species is undoubtedly confined to Gibson and Posey counties. As this is 

 a species but recently segregated its distribution is not yet thoroughly 

 known. It, however, is known to range from New York to North Carolina 

 and Louisiana and west to Missouri. 



This is very evidently another case of a species of coastal distribution 

 with a seeming extension well into the interior. 



If we summarize these thirteen species, peculiar to our southwestern 

 counties we find them all to be swamp forms or those growing in bottom 



•Deam. Op. Cit. pg. 347. 



