728 THE VEGETATION OF THE LOWER WABASH VALLEY. 
chiefly pawpaw (Asimina triloba), mulberry (Morus rubra), sassa- 
fras (Sassafras officinale), red-bud (Cercis Canadensis), iron 
woods (Carpinus Americanus and Ostrya Virginica), mixed with 
numerous other smaller trees, as Amelanchier Canadensis, wild 
plums, crab apple (Pyrus coronaria), several species of haws or 
thorn apples (Crategus), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), 
black haw (Viburnum prunifolium); while the shrubby under- 
growth, which was frequently too dense to penetrate without 
cutting, consisted in the main of prickly ash (Xanthorylum 
Americanum), hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata), bladder nut (Staphylea 
trifolia), burning bush or ‘ Wahoo” (Euonymus atropurpureus), 
Crategus spathulata* and several species of Cornus, besides 
numerous other shrubs. The prevalent undergrowth, however, 
consisted of spice wood (Lindera benzoin) which grew 10 or 12 
feet high, its branches often forming a complete canopy overhead, 
which entirely shut off the view of the tree-tops. 
_ Inthe “hollows” parallel to the river, the small cane (Arun- 
dinaria tecta) formed dense brakes and grew 10 or 12 feet high, 
the canes matted with thorny “green brier” (Smilax several 
species) and mixed with tall stinging nettles (Utrica and Lapor- 
tea) ; or where the cane was scant or absent, the ground bristled 
with Equisetacee. In the more open portions of the woods the 
herbaceous vegetation was more luxuriant, consisting, in the main, 
of rank nettles (Urtica and Laportea), tall iron weeds (Vernonia) 
and silk weeds (Asclepias), associated with an apparently infinite 
variety of other weeds of similar habit. | 
In lower spots the “lizard-tail” (Sawrurus cernuus) was the 
predominant plant, and when in flower imparted a pleasing fra- 
grance to the locality. In the more open glades numerous vines 
flourished in great luxuriance ; grape-vines (of half a dozen spe 
cies) canopied with their foliage the smaller trees, or ascended to 
the tops of the very tallest. The winter grape (Vitis cordifolia) 
often grew to a great size, many vines measuring 24 and some 
inches in circumference several feet from the ground, — sometimes 
dangling from’a branch a hundred feet overhead, as often stretch- 
ing like a cable from one tree to another, or twisted in fantastic 
` and intricate contortions as they wrapped the trunks or swayed 
from them. The gaudy trumpet creeper (Tecoma radicans) with 
its vivid clusters of large and conspicuous tubular orange-red 
* Heretofore considered of more southern habitat. 
