SAND DUNES AND SALT MARSHES 



—four in this small company rejoice in the 

 specific name maritima— is the seaside gerar- 

 dia, which has little rose-purple fox-gloves on 

 its slender stalks. But the most prominent 

 flowering plant of this region, and one that 

 forms great nosegays of tiny lavender flowers 

 in delicate interlaced sprays, is the marsh 

 rosemary or sea lavender. This is a sturdy 

 perennial with a clump of oblong leaves rising 

 from the root, and it is one that blossoms from 

 July to September. 



The fourth and highest zone,— the fringing 

 edge where it joins the upland,— a region that 

 is visited only by the unusual spring and au- 

 tumn tides, or when easterly storms reinforce 

 the moon, is the black-grass zone. This zone 

 averages from half a dozen feet to as many 

 yards in width, but may extend over many 

 acres that are shut out except from the high- 

 est tides. The black-grass also occurs as is- 

 lands elevated slightly above the level of the 

 general marsh. This black-grass, the main 

 component of the zone, is so called because of 

 its dark color, which looks almost black when 

 the plant is in fruit. It is a rush, however, and 

 not a grass. 



Extending down into the black-grass grow 

 196 



