Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
March,  1S92.  J 
Flora  of  Northern  Ohio. 
167 
eager  botanist  turns  his  steps  not  less  frequently  to  those  than  to  the  lake 
region.  The  railroad,  or,  if  necessary,  a  steamer,  will  quickly  carry  him  to  all 
the  above  places,  while  the  steamer  only  can  be  taken  into  consideration  if  he 
intends  a  visit  to  the  islands  in  Lake  Erie  ;  for  instance,  to  Kelley's  or  South 
Bass  Island.  Keeping  these  facts  in  mind,  it  may  readily  be  seen  that  in 
consequence  of  the  difference  of  soil  and  of  climate  (the  climate  of  the  islands, 
and  of  the  lakeshore,  and  that  of  the  more  southern  parts  near  and  on  the  water- 
shed of  this  State),1  the  flora  of  our  part  of  Ohio  should  be  manifold,  as  it  is  in 
reality.  The  flora  of  the  different  parts  of  our  region  of  Ohio  to  be  contem- 
plated here  may  for  an  easy  survey  consequently  be  divided  into  (1)  the  flora 
of  the  islands  ;  (2)  that  of  the  lakeshore  and  of  the  adjacent  swamps  ;  (3)  that  of 
the  lakes  and  ponds,  and  (4)  that  of  the  hills  and  valleys,  of  which  the  flora  of 
the  islands  seems  to  be  the  most  interesting.  There  are  many  islands  in  Lake 
Erie,  of  which  Kelley's  and  South  Bass  Islands  are  among  the  larger  ones  ; 
"both  possess  the  same  rocks  as  the. other  islands  do,  viz  :  Kelley's  Island  the 
corniferous  limestone,  South  Bass  Island  the  so-called  waterlime,  a  limestone — 
or  rather  magnesian  limestone  rock,  containing  up  to  over  40  per  cent,  of  mag- 
nesium carbonate.  On  these  islands  a  new  world  of  plants  seems  to  have 
appeared  to  even  the  botanist  who  is  familiar  with  all  plants  on  the  lakeshore. 
After  hardly  putting  his  feet  oh  the  shore  of  the  last-named  island,  Dianthera 
americana,  Lin.,  a  plant  growing  in  water,  greets  him,  and  from  the  rocks  the 
white,  often  reddish  tinged  flowers  of  Allium  cernuum,  Roth,  nod  at  him.  In 
rocky  places  often  moistened  by  water  there  grows  abundantly  Lythrum 
alatum,  Pursh,  and  nearby  the  beautiful  shrubby  Hypericum  Kalmianum,  Lin., 
as  also  Lobelia  Kalmii,  Lin.,  and  on  the  top  of  the  rocks,  the  surface  of  the  island, 
Astragalus  canadensis.  Lin.,  and  Smilacina  stellata,  Desf.;  in  the  woods  near 
by,  however,  Herb  Robert,  Geranium  Robertianum,  Lin.,  is  found  in  great 
quantity,  and  often  Parietaria  pennsylvanica,  Muhl.  Rhus  canadensis,  JLarsh., 
a  shrub,  several  feet  high,  with  red  berries,  containing  much  citric  acid,  grows 
here  and  there  in  flocks,  while  Juniperus  virginiana,  Lin.,  sometimes  in  old 
remarkably  crooked  specimens,  surprises  by  its  abundance.  In  open  places  of 
the  woods  there  occurs  frequently  Arenaria  Michauxii,  Hooker  f.,  more  rarely 
Thaspium  barbinode,  JVutL,  and  on  one  single  rock  on  the  shore  is  found  Hous- 
tonia  purpurea,  var.  longifolia,  Gray.  It  would  carry  the  botanist  too  far,  if 
he  would  mention  all  the  interesting  species  found  here  ;  the  pretty  Campanula 
rotundifolia,  var.  arctica,  Lange,  the  large  blue  bells  of  which  reflect  in  the 
water  below  the  rocks,  may,  however,  yet  be  cited,  as  also  Viburnum  acerifo- 
lium,  Lin.,  Steironema  lanceolatum,  Gray,  and  Chenopodium  hybridum,  Lin. 
Such  a  rich  flora  as  South  Bass  Island  possesses,  was  not  given  to  Kelley's 
Island,  which  lacks  greatly  the  forest  and  the  huge  rocks  on  the  shore.  Several 
of  the  above  species,  however,  were  also  seen  here.  Of  new  plants  the  following 
only  could  be  added  to  the  list:  Verbena  angustifolia,  Mich.,  Taxus  cana- 
densis, Willd.  (both  in  rocky  places'),  Eriophorum  lineatum,  Benth.  and  Hook., 
(on  moist  meadows),  and  Nelumbo  lutea,  Pers.,  (in  the  water  of  a  pondlike 
swamp),  which  last  magnificent  herb  occurs  in  other  parts  of  the  district  more 
1  As  an  illustration  to,  and  a  proof  of,  this  difference,  the  fact  may  be  stated  here,  that 
grapes  can  be  grown  in  Xorthern  Ohio  to  advantage  only  on  the  islands  and  within  about  five 
miles  of  the  lakeshore.  while  in  more  southern  parts  the  frost  damages  them  or  their  fruit 
considerably. 
