



r 



i9 T 7] GA NO— ECOLOGY OF FLORIDA 



347 



sive forces being capable of slight application, but it will not 



com 



seems 



to the north. The vegetation 



to small differences in elevation, into the so-called "scrub/' the 



more 



In a general 



with the soil type 



being associated with Sandhill soil, the pinelands with Norfolk 

 sands, and the flatwoods with Leon sands. For convenience, these 

 3 general divisions of the pre-erosion uplands will be discussed 

 separately. 



Scrub oak forest. — The oak association seems to mark the 

 sandhill areas, which, owing to the porous sandy subsoil and the 

 lack of organic matter in the soil, would seem to be a decidedly 

 xerophytic habitat. Three small deciduous oaks and a scattering 

 of pines (P. palustris Mill, chiefly) make up the tree growth. Of 

 these oaks, Q. Catesbaei Michx, seems to be the most xerophytic, 

 as it is sometimes almost alone on the summits of the knolls or 

 ridges. Q. margaretta Ashe (suggested as a possible hybrid between 

 Q. stellata Wang, and Q. alba L. and sometimes, as noted on the 

 more fertile soils, apparently intergrading into well grown Q. stellata 

 Wang.) appears in the intermediate positions; while Q. cinerea 

 Michx. grows near the bases of slopes. They intermingle in varying 

 proportions over most of the area, growing to about the same 

 height (15-20 ft.), with many scrubby branches, making when 

 thickly planted a scrubby thicket. Q. geminata Small, a scrubby 

 live oak, is another species occurring on sandy soil, usually in 

 situations near water or damp places. Q. virginiana Mill, and 

 Diospyros virginiana L. also grow on the sandhills. 



Shrubs are mostly low and with evergreen or persistent foliage, 

 as Ceratiola ericoides Michx., Leiophyllam bitxifolium Ell., V acti- 

 nium Myrsinites Lam., V. stamineum L., V. neglectum Fernald. 

 Asimina pygmaea Dunal (with deciduous though coriaceous leaves), 

 Ceanothus microphallus Michx., and V actinium tenellum Ait. are 



shrubs of the dry 



grow 



great 



Tufts of scattered wire or 



grass 



