GROWTH-FORMS OF FLORA OF NEW YORK AND VICINITY 29 
trated in the local flora. We find in the southern species about 12 
per cent shrubs or trees, in the northern species only 5 per cent, well 
illustrating the tendency for the woody plants to increase in size and 
profusion as we travel southward. Among the small undershrubs there 
appear to be none in the southern group, but over 8 per cent in the 
northern, which is considerably over the percentage for this growth- 
form in the whole flora. One of the most notable elements is the large 
percentage of HH in the northern species (23 per cent) and the large 
percentage of geophytes in the same group (24 per cent). Both these 
figures are so much above those published for any other region, that 
they may be open to the suspicion that other than climatic factors 
have influenced them. This region in eastern North America has 
never had this particular criterion of temperature response applied to 
it, in fact I know of no region where such a large number of species as 
our 1907 native plants have been used in making up the percentages as 
published by Raunkiaer, Vahl, and Paulsen for other countries. On 
the basis of the large numbers of species considered, and the obviously 
temperate nature of our climate, it may be that the normal spectrum 
as now understood is in need of revision. Certainly it seems to be 
much too low in the case of geophytes and the aquatics, and too high 
in the microphanerophytes. 
There are 19 northern species in the area, reaching their southerly 
distribution outposts here, but found only at elevations in excess of 
1,000 ft., and most closely approximating an alpine habitat of any 
of our native plants. Of course, percentages of growth-forms based 
on such a small number of species are apt to be misleading, but as 
illustrating a tendency they prove interesting. The following is a 
list of such vSpecies: 
Growth-forms of Northern Species Reaching their Southerly Distribution 
Outposts in the Area, but Found only at Elevations in Excess 
OF 1000 Ft. 
Viola renifolia = G 
Moneses uniflora = G 
Ledum groenlandicum = N 
Vaccinium Brittonii = N 
Adoxa Moschatellina = G 
Valeriana uliginosa = G 
Solidago macrophylla = H 
Aster junceus = H 
Petasites palmatus = H 
Xyris montana = H 
Juncus filiformis = G 
Spiranthes Romanzoffiana = G 
Mitella nuda = H 
Fragaria canadensis = CH 
Fragaria terra-novae = CH 
Rubus pergratus = H 
Pyrus sitchensis = MS 
Viola nephrophylla = G 
Viola Selkirkii = G 
