Ecology of the Cincinnati Region 
165 
corydalis (Corydalis flavula), waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appeiidiculatum), 
squirrel corn and Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra canadensis and D. 
cneullaria), celandine poppy (Stylophoruni diphyllum), spring beauty 
fClaytonia virginica), and yellow adder’s tongue (Erythroniiiin anieri- 
canum), —and a few plants of less mesophytic species—larkspur (Delphi¬ 
nium tricorne), wake robin (Trillium sessile), and bloodroot (Sanguinaria 
canadensis). 
Few of these mesophytes are found on the southward facing bluff; 
instead are early meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum), larkspur (Deh 
phinium tricorne), twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), wild hyacinth (Camas- 
sia esculenta), shooting star (Dodecatheon Meadia), and Virginia cow¬ 
slip (Mertensia virginica). 
Logs and outcropping ledges of rock on the north slope are covered 
with mesophytic mosses— Mnium affine, and species of Hypnum; on the 
south slope, they are bare except for scattered patches of Grimmia. 
Rate of progress in bhiif successions. —Some idea of the rate of 
progress of the bluff succession may be gained from clearing successions 
of known age. These are of course more rapid than the original succes¬ 
sions. Many of the river bluffs were cleared by the early settlers and 
vineyards planted upon them. In 1864 and 1865, many of these vine¬ 
yards were cut down, and some of the hillsides left uncultivated. 
The hillside above Anderson’s Ferry is one of these. Here the 
south slope toward the river varies from 15 degrees to 40 degrees, but 
the west slope toward a deep ravine presents most of the features of 
steeper bluffs. The river and ravine slopes are forested now with second 
growth, and a few old oaks remain near the top. Fig. gg is a view from 
the opposite side of the ravine, showing the face of the steep ravine bluff 
bare near the top of the hill, and the gentler slope toward the river. The 
bare bluff was produced by slumping. 
The succession on this south slope has reached the thicket stage. 
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) and red-fruited thorn (Crataegus mollis) are 
dominant, and with them is a low growth of hackberry, blue ash, honey 
locust, red elm, locust, Ohio buckeye, and hop hornbeam mixed with sap¬ 
lings of chestnut oak (Quercus Muhlenbergii), the beginning of the oak 
stage. The vernal vegetation is very characteristic of warm south slopes. 
The dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne) is by far the most abundant 
plant. With it are found wake robin (Trillium sessile), wild hyacinth 
(Camassia esculenta), meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum), toothwort (Dcn- 
taria ladniata), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum bidorum), sickle-pod 
