Flora of the Allegany State Park' Region 209 



or three years. While this serves to bring out in stronger 

 relief the hold appearance of the gigantic slabs of rock, 

 the native vegetation has been largely destroyed or vastly 

 altered. At the time of this survey lire had not as yet 

 invaded the litter upon the ground and the deep and 

 rather fertile hunins, although Ideated upon the Olean 

 formation, gives promise of a luxuriant second growth. 

 If, however, lire invades this area most of this humus 

 will he destroyed and conditions will prevail similar to 

 those existing upon most of the higher ridges of the 

 park area. 



Just above the level of the "Rock City" occurs a fine 

 forest of semiprimeval character, chiefly hardwoods, in 

 which the following species predominate: 



Fagus grandifolia Betula lenta 



Tsuga canadensis Castanea dentata 



Acer saccharum Quercus rubra 



Betula lutea Acer rubrum 



Primus serotina Fraxinus americana 



Tilia americana Magnolia acuminata 



With these characteristic trees are several species of 



minor importance such as: 



Ulmus americana Prunus pennsylvanica 



Populus grandidentata Amelanchier laevis 



tremuloides Sorbus americana 



Ostrya virginiana Cornus florida 



The undergrowth of large and small shrubs is particu- 

 larly dense and luxuriant, and several of them are almost 

 treelike in size, especially the following : 



Acer spicatum Ilex monticola 



Salix Bebbiana Hamamelis virginiana 



Acer pennsylvanicum Amelanchier canadensis 



