SEED PLANTS OF UPPER LITTORAL BELT 81 
Spartina patens, but from 480 east on to the east end of the Spit this belt is 
dominated by Salicornia europea, often mixed with numerous bushy plants of 
its relative, S. ambigua. In one place only (620 to 660 east), does the latter 
become abundant enough to really crowd out the more erectly growing S. 
europea. Three or four similar interruptions of the band of Salicornia europea 
near the eastern end of the Spit are due to short patches of Spartina patens or 
Distichlis. At the eastern extremity of the Spit, Sueda and Atriplex patula 
may be mingled with the Salicornia, while at the very tip the Salicornia is 
usually sprinkled thinly over an otherwise comparatively bare sand beach (plates 
Vv and XIII). 
On the Marsh Salicornia europea may in some places be sparsely distributed 
-and in other parts areas of several square meters may be covered to a density 
of 100 plants per square decimeter. Throughout the Marsh it is chiefly confined 
to the margins of the tide-streams, tide-pools, and artificial ditches (100 north 
by 1,150 east at 6.5 to 7.5 feet and 100 south by 900 east). On spots made bare 
by the smothering out of Spartina patens by tide-trash, Salicornia europea is 
often the first thing to appear when this trash is finally removed by some very 
high tide, e. g., at 100 north by 1,090 east in 1909. On locally elevated areas in 
the midst of the Spartina glabra, even down to the 6-foot level, Salicornia is 
sparingly mixed with such species as Aster subulatus, Atriplex patula, Limo- 
nium carolinianum, and Scirpus nanus, as, e. g., at 400 to 440 south by 770 east, 
between two streams. 
On the east shore of the harbor Salicornia europea is usually seen only at 200 
north, between 6 and 7.5 feet, where it is only sparsely sprinkled among the 
Spartina glabra and the 8. patens on this rather well-drained point of the shore. 
In one season only (1908) were a few scores of this plant found between 7.25 
and 7.75 foot levels, on the stone pier at 950 north. Nota single plant of this 
species could be found along the whole west shore, from the northern edge of the 
Marsh to the Spit, though a careful search was made for it. 
The factors influencing the distribution of this species may best be suggested 
after noting the distribution of the second species of Salicornia, which imme- 
- diately follows. 
Salicornia ambigua in the upper littoral belt: This perennial, half-ever- 
green species of Salicornia is confined to the eastern third of the Spit, except for 
a colony of 5 tufts, each 0.5 meter across, that has established itself on the north 
side of the stone pier on the east side, and a single plant at 1,010 north on the 
same shore. Mature, established plants are readily distinguished from those 
of S. europea, but it is possible that this species may be represented on the 
Marsh by seedlings or young plants which were not distinguished from those of 
the annual species. On the south shore of the Spit S. ambigua is chiefly confined 
to the region between 390 and 600 east (plate x11r), not more than a score of 
plants of this form being found outside these limits. Only between 620 and 660 
east, however, does this Salicornia become completely dominant. Here it forms 
a practically pure stand, with thickly matted branches, over a strip 1.5 meters 
in width, between the 6.25 and 6.75 foot levels (plate xB). Along the beach 
from 390 to 620 east this species is mingled with or at times crowded out by 
S. europea, with now and then a turf of Spartina patens or Distichlis to inter- 
tupt the continuity of the stand of these two glassworts. Beyond 660 east the 
plants of 8. ambigua are either scattered singly or may be grouped in twos and 
