262 FLORIDA STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
tion of 200 feet above the river is reached within less than one mile 
of the river, and at Alum Bluff an elevation of 160 feet is found in the 
bluff immediately facing the river. 
The bluff terminating the plateau at the river is continuous except 
where cut across by streams, through Gadsden County into Liberty 
County. Numerous streams tributary to the Apalachicola cut across 
the bluff and into the plateau, the largest of these being Mosquito Creek 
and Flat Creek in Gadsden County, and Sweetwater Creek in Liberty 
County. Many smaller streams occur and the larger streams have 
numerous tributaries. These streams which are fed by springs, carry 
an unfailing supply of clear, soft water, and cut deeply, resulting in 
great diversity in surface features. 
The streams in the western part of Gadsden County and in the 
northern part of Liberty County head in a characteristic manner. Each 
tributary terminates in a semi-circular spring head, the descent to 
which is almost precipitous for 50 to 60 feet from the plateau level. 
Usually this slope is not too steep to retain soil and hence is thick set 
with a dense growth of trees. Occasionally, however, heads occur 
that are vertical or nearly so. The termination of these streams are 
spoken of locally as “steepheads.” The conditions which produce 
these heads are as follows: The surface formations are porous and 
permit the rainfall to enter readily. At the depth of 50 to 60 feet the 
water encounters impervious clays and following these clays finds an 
exit as springs. These “steepheads” are thus spring heads, and these 
streams in fact make their way back into the plateau by the constant 
backward migration of the springheads. A dense growth of hard 
wood trees is found along the sides and in the deep valleys. Among 
these are found some rare plants. Chief among these may be men¬ 
tioned Tumion taxifolium (7'orreya taxifolia), a graceful conifer 
which has received from the odor arising from its foliage when 
bruised the unenviable common name of “stinking cedar.” It has 
often been stated that this plant grows upon and is dependent upon 
the presence of the Chattahoochee limestone, a formation to be de¬ 
scribed later in this report. It is to be observed, however, that follow¬ 
ing the streams into the plateau this tree may be found up the streams 
far beyond the occurrence of the Chattahoochee limestone. Similarly 
to the south in Liberty County, this tree is found down the river below 
the point at which the Chattahoochee limestone finally passes beneath 
the river and at a stratigraphic interval at least 100 feet above that 
formation. Moreover at other localities, as on the Chipola River where 
the Chattahoochee limestone occurs, this tree has not been found. 
Tumion taxifolium has not been found at any locality other than the 
east bank of the Apalachicola River and apparently does not occur 
outside of Florida. A second related and even more restricted tree of 
