J 2 



Bulletin 3 



Rarities Discovered" records 40 species of introduced plants 

 as found around Black Point, the present Scarboro, Maine. 

 Rather more than a century later Manasseh Cutler lists 66 

 European species that had appeared in cultivated land, 

 among these being the dandelion, whiteweed, buttercups, 

 and chicory. This importation has gone on at steadily 

 increasing rates, until at present there are more than 600 

 introduced species which are definite elements of the New 

 England flora, besides many others that occur a few times 

 but fail of gaining a foothold. 



There are many ways by which foreign plants are 

 introduced into a region. During the remainder of this talk 

 some of these methods will be taken up, each one being 

 illustrated by specimens of some of the more local plants 

 which are thought to have been introduced by it. It will 

 be assumed, also, that the weeds which occur everywhere in 

 Maine need no special comment. The simplest method of 

 plant introduction is through impure grain or garden seed, 

 by which, in spite of the activity of Experiment Stations and 

 the testing of seeds, many species are introduced each year. 

 In this way Chenopodiwn incisum Poir., a species of tropical 

 America, has become thoroughly established at North Ber- 

 wick ; Lychnis Floscnculi L,., the European Ragged Robin, 

 is now of occasional occurrence in the grain fields throughout 

 the state. Some twelve years ago Berteroa incana (L,.) DC, 

 and Silene dichotoma Ehrh., appeared at several widely scat- 

 tered stations in the East, indicating very strongly their intro- 

 duction through impure grain or clover seed. The former 

 species has become rather more common, while the Silene has 

 apparently lost ground. Of still more recent introduction is 

 Neslia pa?iiculata (L,.) Desv., which in Maine is as yet 

 known only from the Canadian Pacific railroad yard at 

 Vance boro,* but is likely to become more common. In 

 York County Sanguisorba officinalis L,., has been introduced 

 through impure grass seed, and is now well established ; 

 likewise in Northern Maine and Lower Canada, where the 

 native Geranium maculatum L., is not known, a similar 

 European species, G. pratense Iy., has become established in 



*This species was collected at Portland the day after this address 

 was delivered. 



