The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XI, No. 1, 
198 
fera, C. alternifolia) , are the more characteristic members. The 
ground cover is almost throughout one of mosses such as Hedwigia 
albicans, Anomodon rostratus, and a species of Chara. In this 
association lateral zonation is most clearly in evidence and arises 
in part from the characteristic growth form of the respective 
species, and in part from the physical features of the habitat. Of 
the latter the factor chiefly concerned is the water content of the 
soil. The essential connection between this is evident where 
springs are the source of shallow pools. Tension lines in the 
vegetation (ecotones) are not well marked, however. The zones 
are too often incomplete or obscure. There is in consequence 
more or less of a transition from the ground layer of mats of 
mosses and algae to the lower grass and herbaceous layer and to 
the tertiary layer of bushes and shrubs. 
The habitat across the road and south of the areas just 
described, bears less resemblance to extremes in water content. 
The cedars are of less mature age and size, and deciduous invaders 
are still lacking. Next to the arbor vitae the predominant trees 
are the yellow poplar and the red maple. The flora seems 
more distinctly related to a transition stage. This may be due to 
a former partial clearing of the area. The young cedar trees 
average a height of ten to fifteen feet, and appear to occur in about 
equal abundance in every quadrat and line transect studied. The 
shrubs resemble those of open bogs, Aronia arbutifolia and Ilex 
verticillata, being the most notable species. Betula pumila and 
Potentilla fruticosa are rare. The shrubs form a vertical layer 
nearly equal in height to the cedars. The interesting peculiarity 
of the ground layer is the frequent occurrence of mats of 
sphagnum (Sphagnum cymbifolium, S. acutifolium) with the 
round-leafed sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) clinging around the 
stems of small bushes of huckleberry (Gaylussaeia baccata). 
These hummocks are often overgrown with the prostrate black- 
berry (Rubus hispidus). Parnassia caroliniana, the fringed 
gentian (Gentiana circinata), the marsh bellflower (Campanula 
aparinoides), violets (Viola blanda, V. arenaria) and St. John’s 
wort (Hypericum prolificum) with the great lobelia (Lobelia 
siphilitica), and a similar but slender dwarf form (Lobelia spicata) 
are found indiscriminately, but usually near small pools in which 
the small bladderwort (Utricularia minor), mosses (Hypnums) 
and Algae (Chara sp.), are some of the frequent species. The 
cat-tails (Typha latifolia) are still sparse. 
Adjoining this open association is a clearing, now used for past- 
ure, which was formerly burned over. The peat soil is black in color, 
non -fibrous but rather wet. The entire cleared area is densely cov- 
ered with the shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) averaging a 
height between three and four feet. In a few undisturbed places a 
succession is indicated with arbor vitae as the dominant tree. Seed- 
