152 
Local  Indigenous  Plants. 
j  Am.  Jour.  Phartu  . 
(       March,  1893. 
a  possible  source  of  lactucarium  ;  another  species  yielding  it  is  the  European 
L.  Scariola,  which  is  fast  becoming  naturalized  by  aid  of  railroad  ballasting. 
We  have  given  a  brief  resume  of  this  large  and  important  order,  and  trust 
you  will  not  feel  offended  if  any  of  your  friends  in  the  sunflower  family  have 
not  received  special  mention  ;  but  we  would  recommend  as  a  palliative  to  any 
possible  injury,  a  railroad  ride  across  New  Jersey,  notably  along  the  Delaware 
shore,  where  in  the  proper  season,  autumn,  the  Compositae  are  in  their  golden 
glory. 
Nowhere,  as  yet,  in  all  our  travels,  have  we  met  with  such  a  magnificence  of 
bloom,  in  this  order,  as  there  is  represented  along  this  route.  You  literally 
travel  through  acres  of  golden  yellow  flowers,  limited  only  by  woods  or  culti- 
vated fields  on  the  one  side  and  the  terminals  of  the  road  in  length. 
The  Lobeliacese  are  represented  in  most  places  by  two  fine  plants  ;  one  whose 
cardinal  virtue  at  present  is  its  color,  Lobelia  cardinalis  or  cardinal  flower,  and 
L.  syphilitica,  which  resembles  the  former  very  much,  except  that  the  flowers 
are  blue  and  arranged  in  a  thicker  spike.  The  cardinal  is  the  most  conspicuous 
of  our  lobelias  ;  its  long  red  spikes  of  bloom  are  as  near  the  cardinal  color  as 
has  yet  been  found  in  nature.  The  two  mentioned,  with  L .  puberula,  are  the 
largest  species  we  have,  ranging  from  2  to  3  feet  in  height ;  but  it  is  reserved 
for  a  smaller  and  less  conspicuous  one  to  keep  up  the  business  end  of  the 
family  ;  or,  in  fact,  to  bring  up  before  the  world  all  disagreeable  material  in  a 
business-like  manner.  Lobelia  inflata,  or  Indian  tobacco,  is  very  common  in 
fields,  easily  recognized  and  not  likely  to  be  confounded  with  other  plants. 
Of  Ericaceae,  the  trailing  arbutus,  Epigcza  repens,  is  common  to  both  States, 
New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania.  Who  of  us  has  a  soul  so  cold  or  a  scent  so 
small  that  he  can  say  he  finds  no  beauty  in  this  modest  little  forester  ?  Gaul- 
theria  procumbens,  or  teaberry,  claims  a  little  supremacy  in  size  over  the 
arbutus,  being  an  erect  plant,  3-5  inches  high,  and  more  abundant  in  New 
Jersey  than  here.  Oxydendron  arboreum,  sour  wood,  has  been  suggested  for 
the  list  of  new  remedies.  Near  here  the  only  known  specimen  tree,  for  such 
it  is,  is  in  Bartram's  Garden,  but  the  Alleghenies  are  a  home  for  it. 
The  so-called  laurels,  Kalmia  latifolia  and  K.  angustifolia,  we  have  in  pro- 
fusion ;  they  form  beautiful  objects  during  their  blooming  season,  and  by 
reason  of  their  growth  excellent  coverts  for  game,  but  are  most  annoying  to 
the  pedestrian  seeking  to  get  through  them.  Pipsissewa,  Chimaphila  umbel- 
latas  and  its  brother,  C.  maculata,  are  abundant  in  nearly  all  woods.  Mo?io- 
tropa  uniflora  deserves  mention  as  a  remedy  and  also  as  a  curious  plant 
growth.  It  is  a  parasite,  small,  leafless,  with  a  simple  stem,  3-8  inches  high, 
and  a  large  nodding  flower  terminating  the  stem.  The  whole  plant  is  waxy 
white,  and  remains  so  until  the  production  of  seed  begins,  when  it  changes  to 
black  and  soon  becomes  entirely  changed  in  color  ;  it  grows  in  clusters  in 
woods,  and  is  apt  to  be  mistaken  for  a  fungus  by  those  not  instructed.  The 
term  ice  plant  has  been  applied  to  it,  also  nest  plant,  or  bird's  nest,  ova  ova, 
fit  root,  Indian  pipe  or  pipe  plant,  as  it  resembles  a  pipe,  and  also  corpse  plant, 
from  its  lividness. 
The  species  M.  Hypopytis  is  taller,  pubescent,  dull  yellowish-brown,  has 
numerous  flowers,  and  the  whole  plant  is  pleasantly  scented,  which  odor  does 
not  diminish  by  drying. 
The  Primrose  Family  sends  us  the  poor  man's  weather  glass  from  Europe  to 
