REEF

POINT

GARDENS

LIBRARY

The Gift of Beatrix Farrand

to the General Library University of California, Berkeley

FLORA *

OF

MOUNT DESEET ISLAND, MAINE.

flora of jttoimt Dessert

A

PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE

OF THE

PLANTS GROWING ON MOUNT DESERT

AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. BY

EDWARD L. ^RAND AND JOHN H. REDFIELD.

itfy a Geological ^Introduction

BY WILLIAM MORRIS DAVIS, AND A NEW MAP OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND.

CAMBRIDGE: JOHN WILSON AND SON.

itg Press. 1894.

ldd'1

LANDSCAPE

ARCHITECTURE

R3

CONTENTS.

PAQB

PREFACE 7

GENERAL OUTLINE OF PLAN OF CATALOGUE.

I. INDIGENOUS PLANTS 13

II. INTRODUCED PLANTS 13

III. SYNONYMS 14

IV. ARRANGEMENT AND NOMENCLATURE 14

V. CITATION OF AUTHORS 15

VI. FORMS 15

VII. TERMS DENOTING RELATIVE OCCURRENCE .... 16

VIII. PLANTS NOT REPRESENTED IN THE HERBARIUM . 16

IX. ABBREVIATIONS 17

X. GEOGRAPHICAL NOMENCLATURE 17

INTRODUCTION.

I. MOUNT DESERT AND ITS FLORA 19

II. THE MAP OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND 28

List of Corrections 31

III. BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE OF THE CATALOGUE . . 32

OUTLINE OF THE GEOLOGY OF MOUNT DESERT.

INTRODUCTION 43

THE GRANITE BELT 46

THE PRE-GRANITIC ROCKS 51

THE POST-GRANITIC ROCKS 55

THE GREAT DENUDATION 56

THE GLACIAL INVASION 63

POSTGLACIAL HISTORY . 67

441

6 CONTENTS.

FLORA: CATALOGUE OF PLANTS.

PHANEROGAMIA, OR FLOWERING PLANTS.

DlCOTYLEDONES, OK EXOGENOUS PLANTS 75

ANGIOSPERME.E : POLYPETAL.E 75

GAMOPETAL.E 107

APETAL^E 139

GYMNOSPERME^E 149

MONOCOTYLEDONES, OR ENDOGENOUS PLANTS 150

CRYPTOGAMIA, OR FLOWERLESS PLANTS.

PTERIDOPHYTA 184

BRYOPHYTA 190

Musci 190

HEPATIC^E 219

THALLOPHYTA 227

CHARACE^E 227

ALG^E 227

LICHENES 250

SUMMARY 275

APPENDIX. — LIST OF EXCLUDED SPECIES. 277

INDEX .... . , , , 281

P E E F A C E.

THE territory covered by this Catalogue of Plants comprises the Island of Mount Desert and the ad- joining islands, the more important of which are the Cranberry Isles, Bartlett Island, Thompson Island, and the Porcupine Islands. The Duck Islands, lying some miles seaward southerly from the Cranberry Isles, are also in- cluded for convenience, although having no close con- nection geographically with the rest of the territory. Politically it comprises the towns of Eden, Mount Desert, Tremont, Cranberry Isles, a small part of Trenton, and a part of Long Island Plantation, in which the Duck Isl- ands are included. All of this territory, with the ex- ception of the Duck Islands, is shown on the map that has been prepared to accompany this Catalogue.

In 1880 the Champlain Society, an association of college students formed for the purpose of field work and study in various branches of natural science, established its camp on the shores of Somes Sound at Wasgatt Cove, Mount Desert Island. This Catalogue of Plants repre- sents the final results of work begun by its botanical department, while the introductory article on the Ge- ology of Mount Desert represents the work of its geo- logical department. Two years later one of the authors, John H. Redfield, began independent investigation of

8 PREFACE.

the Island flora. In 1888 the Champlain Society allowed its botanical work to pass into the hands of the other author, Edward L. Rand, who, however, had been con- nected with the work from its beginning. Soon after- wards the authors consolidated the results of all the botanical work on the Island, so far as they were able, and henceforth carried on the work together, with such assistance as could be procured from other botanists. Although more or less incomplete, and somewhat hastily prepared, this Catalogue is now presented, at the request of many interested in the subject, as a preliminary con- tribution to a Flora of Mount Desert Island. This is done with the hope that it may serve as a means of excit- ing interest in the undertaking, and thus make possible a more complete catalogue in the near future.

So far as the study of its flora is concerned, Mount De- sert has no history. We are told by the early explorers that wild roses and beach peas were abundant, and that is all. No botanists native to the Island — if any there were or are — have given us information as to its plants. All such information has come from such botanists as have chanced to go there from a distance, usually during the summer months only. Even of these the known list is not long, and only few antedate the beginning of syste- matic work in 1880. It has, furthermore, been extremely difficult to discover the names of these botanists, and to consult their notes and collections, although the authors have endeavored in many ways to accomplish this. The result naturally has been far from satisfactory. In spite of all these discouragements, however, the work on the Flora has been carried on with perseverance. It is now hoped that from the very fact of the publication of pres- ent results help may be obtained for the future that other-

PREFACE. 9

wise would have been locked up in the herbaria and note-books of unknown workers in the same territory.

Specimens of every plant in this list, with very few exceptions, will be found preserved in the Mount Desert Herbarium, at present kept in Cambridge, Mass. These exceptions, most of which are either Algas or Lichens, are denoted by an asterisk prefixed to the name of the species. For specimens of plants thus marked, as well as for other plants from collectors now unrepresented, we shall be most grateful.1 The Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, furthermore, has an almost complete duplicate set of the Phanerogams and Pteridophy ta ; and Dr. Carl Warnstorf of Neuruppin, Germany, has a dupli- cate set of the Sphagna. Duplicates from the Herbarium have also been distributed among various public and pri- vate herbaria of the country.

Much care has been taken to make the Catalogue reli- able. Very few plants have been admitted to the list except on the authority of an undoubted specimen, and in every case of exception only on a positive affirmation by a specialist or other botanist of high repute as to the authenticity and identity of the lost specimen. More- over, we have had the kind assistance of many of the leading botanists of the country in the determination of specimens in difficult families and genera, and in cases of doubtful determination, as well as in the criticism and correction of our manuscript. Prof. L. H. Bailey has given his help in Carex and Rubus ; Mr. M. S. Bebb, in Salix; Prof. William Trelease, in Rumex and Epilobium; Dr. Thomas C. Porter, in Solidago, Aster, and Mentha;

1 Any correspondence relating to the Flora may be addressed to Edward L. Rand, 740 Exchange Building, Boston, Mass., or to John H. Redfield, 216 West Logan Square, Philadelphia, Penn.

10 PREFACE.

Mr. John K. Small, in Polygonum; Prof. F. Lamson Scribner, in Gramineas ; Dr. L. M. Underwood, in Isoetes and in Hepaticae; Mr. George E. Davenport, in Filices; Dr. T. F. Allen, in Characese; Messrs. Frank S. Collins and Isaac Holden, in Algae ; Dr. Carl Warnstorf, Prof. D. C. Eaton, and Mr. Edwin Faxon, in Sphagnum; Mrs. E. G. Britton and Dr. Charles R. Barnes, in the other Mosses; Dr. J. W. Eckfeldt, Miss Mary L. Wilson, and Miss Clara E. Cummings, in Lichenes; and Dr. B. L. Robinson, Dr. N. L. Britton, Dr. Thomas Morong, Mr. Walter Deane, and Mr. M. L. Fernald, in various other determinations. The article on the Geology of Mount Desert has been kindly contributed by Prof. William M. Davis, of Harvard College. To these and to all others who have done so much to add to the value and accuracy of this Catalogue, to the various collectors whose names appear therein, and to President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard University, through whose interest and kindness the publication of our work has been made possible, we extend our sincere thanks.

Acknowledging, as we have at the outset, the incom- pleteness of this Catalogue in many of its divisions, we issue it at the present time to assist those interested in the plants of the Island to the acquirement of a better knowledge of its flora. With this end in view, therefore, it has seemed well to include, for the benefit of specialists, even manifestly incomplete lists of some of the Crypto- gams. The list of Vascular Cryptogams (Pteridophyta), the Ferns and their allies, is fairly complete ; the lists of Mosses and Liverworts are well advancing towards com- pletion, and the same is true of the lists of Lichens and of the marine Algae. Very little work, however, has been done thus far in the collection and determination of the

PREFACE. 11

fresh-water Algae and the Fungi, and it has seemed better for the present to omit the latter altogether from this Catalogue. It is hoped that in the near future more attention may be given to increasing in a marked degree our knowledge of this part of the Island flora.

July 1st, 1894.

GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE PLAN OF THE CATALOGUE OF PLANTS.

I. THE names of plants supposed to be indigenous to North America are printed in heavy broad-face type. " Indigenous " is but a relative term, and can hardly be employed with any accuracy, even in its commonly accepted sense, in connection with the flora of a comparatively small territory, without a very definite knowledge of the facts of local plant introduction and distribution. A list of Mount Desert plants pretending to show the plants " indigenous " to the Island would contain mere guesswork in many cases, and would only lead to much confusion. It has therefore been thought better to draw the distinction between plants indigenous to the continent and those evidently foreign to it, and to add such notes as may seem of value relating to the introduction within our territorial limits, on the one hand, of North American species, and, on the other, of species from other continents.

II. The names of plants believed to be introduced into North America are printed in small capitals. It is to be understood that in nearly every case such plants have been, so far as known, indirectly introduced through other parts of this continent into Mount Desert Island. There is very little of that evidence of direct introduction of any of these plants which is so common about seaports where there is direct communication with foreign countries. This class of plants includes both those that are fully naturalized and those which as yet are only adventive or well established garden escapes. For reasons already given, it will be seen that there are no ballast plants to be catalogued.

14 PLAN OF THE CATALOGUE.

III. Synonyms are printed in Italics.

IV. The principle underlying the arrangement and nomen- clature of the Catalogue is a very simple one, more practical than theoretical. It is this: to follow in these respects some manual or other work of high authority, regardless of any fancy or preference of the authors. It seems hardly necessary to state to any one of practical experience, that the office of a local Flora, or of any similar work designed fully as much for the public generally as for scientists, is not to serve as a nomen- clator, or to present an opportunity for the author to display his fads to his own satisfaction and the confusion of the reader, but rather to be a help and an aid to a better knowledge of the plants of any given region. Unless descriptions are added, so that such a catalogue is in reality a manual in itself, reference must be made to some well known work or handbook. Such being the case, the authors have felt obliged to adopt some such standard as a guide aud basis for the arrangement and nomenclature of the Catalogue,1 giving only such synonyms as in their judgment may serve some useful purpose of identifi- cation or of information, and making such corrections only as do not interfere with the system of the guide adopted.

In nomenclature and arrangement, the sixth (revised) edition of Graj'-'s Manual by Watson and Coulter is followed for the Phanerogams (Flowering Plants) ; for the Pteridophyta (Vascu- lar Cryptogams), and for the Hepaticae. Dr. Carl Warnstorf s articles on the North American Sphagna, in Vol. XV. (1890) of the Botanical Gazette, are mainly followed for Sphagnum; while Lesquereux and James's " Mosses of North America" is followed for the remainder of the Mosses. Tuckerman's works are followed as far as possible for the Lichens, and Farlow's " Marine Algae of New England," with some marked changes

1 As, however, the subject of botanical nomenclature has been given undue prominence of late by some of our American botanists among others, it has seemed better to the authors to discuss this subject at more length in the Introduction. Had this not been done, it might be asked why the rules of the so called Rochester and Madison Codes were not followed as a standard, — an intentional omission for which there is more than ample justification.

PLAN OF THE CATALOGUE. 15

in classification, arrangement, and nomenclature, for the marine Algse.1 In every case where descriptions of genera or species found at Mount Desert do not appear for any reason in these works, the authors have tried to give them in the Catalogue, hoping thereby to render unnecessary any reference to works or articles not readily accessible. It is believed that our plan has been adopted throughout with some slight exceptions, most of which need no explanation.

V. It has, however, been thought well to adopt throughout the Catalogue the parenthetical citation of the original au- thor of the specific or varietal name, a method already long adopted by cryptogamic botanists. Thus Coptis trifolia, the common Goldthread, was described in 1753 by Linnaeus under the name of Helleborus trifolius. In 1798, Salisbury consid- ered that the plant showed well marked generic differences, and assigned it to a new genus, Coptis. Our plant therefore bears the binomial, Coptis trifolia (L.), Salisb. It must be borne in mind, however, that the author cited in parentheses is cited only for the specific or the varietal name in the binominal, as the case may be, and is connected with that alone, and not with the binominal itself. To the binominal, the name of the author not cited in parenthesis alone applies. If these dis- tinctions be remembered, many of the objections that have been so forcibly urged against this method of citation seem to lose their weight.

VI. The term "form" — forma — has been used for the sake of convenience to indicate slight physiological or struc- tural variations seeming of hardly enough importance to mark a good variety, much less a species, and yet worthy of some notice, perhaps of future study. Allowance once rightly made for variation in nature, it becomes a very complex and difficult matter to decide what is a species, what a variety, what a form, what a variation. Without discussion of the subject, it may be said that it has seemed best to recognize as forms sub- stantially the same variations that are indicated by Dr. IS". L.

1 See introductory note to the list of Algae for a fuller statement of the plan adopted.

16 PLAN OF THE CATALOGUE.

Britton in his article "On the Naming of ' Forms' in the New Jersey Catalogue." l It is not thought well, however, to attach the name of any author to these so called forms, as the line between a form and a mere variation is generally too shadowy to call for the exercise of any judgment worthy of recognition in the decision that one variation or another should be dignified by the term forma. Forms should bear names for the sake of convenience, and if properly named; that name should be preserved to avoid confusion, if the form proves after investigation to be a well defined variety. In such a case, how- ever, to cite the author of the name in parentheses seems to savor more of affectation than of common sense or utility, and if so, why mention the author of a form at all? A line must be drawn somewhere to check the increasing tendency to self- glorification that can at present be so easily gratified on the part of the amateur as well as of the professional botanist. In this Catalogue, therefore, as has been stated, no authors are cited for the names of mere forms. Should, however, any one desire to know them, a goodly number may be found in Dr. Britton's article just referred to.

VII. The usual terms common, uncommon, frequent, infre- quent, occasional, rare, etc., are used to denote the relative occurrence of the different plants. It must be remembered, however, that these terms apply only to a plant in its proper habitat. Because a seashore plant is "common," no one should expect to find it on the mountains! Where few stations are given for any plant, it does not necessarily follow that it does not occur elsewhere. New stations are likely to be reported at any time for nearly all such plants. It merely indicates, therefore, that thus far collectors have not been successful in detecting any very general distribution of the plant in question.

VIII. An asterisk prefixed to names of plants indicates that a specimen of the plant in question is not to be found in the Mount Desert Herbarium at the present time, although the occurrence of the plant within the territorial limits is un- doubted.

i See Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, xvii. 121.

PLAN OF THE CATALOGUE. 17

IX. The abbreviations used for names of authors will be found in Gray's Manual, Gray's Structural Botany, or in Brit- ton's Catalogue of New Jersey Plants. Other abbreviations either require no explanation, or may be found in any manual or text-book. The abbreviation " R. & B,., " as may be readily supposed, refers to the authors of this Catalogue.

X, The geographical nomenclature follows that of the map of Mount Desert Island published in June, 1893, to accompany this work. Its nomenclature is based on certain universal and well recognized laws of nomenclature, among the chief of which are the regard for priority, for firmly established custom, for good taste, and for avoidance of unnecessary confusion. The rules adopted by the U. S. Board on Geographic Names have been followed as far as possible as to form, in order to secure conformity with the Coast Survey Charts and other govern- ment publications. Of the changes caused by these rules, the only one that is likely to be commonly noticed is the avoid- ance of the possessive whenever this can be done without de- stroying the euphony of the name or changing the descriptive application. In applying this rule, therefore, the possessive s has been retained only where it appeared to be necessary for euphony or to avoid misunderstanding, usually where the name is a Christian name, and sometimes where for special reasons or on account of peculiar usage it seemed impracticable to do otherwise. In all cases, however, where the possessive s is retained, the possessive apostrophe has been dropped, since the word should no longer be considered as possessive in sense, but as a word in itself.

INTRODUCTION.

I. MOUNT DESERT AND ITS FLORA.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, called by the Indians PEMETIC, lies about one hundred and ten miles east of Portland, on the coast of Maine, and less than half that distance from Rockland on the western shore of Penobscot Bay. Its coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean on the south, by Blue Hill Bay and its tributaries on the west, and by Frenchman Bay and its tributaries on the east and north. On the northwest Mt. Desert Narrows, a shallow strait connecting the waters of these two bays, is crossed by means of two bridges, connecting Thompson Island with the mainland on the north, and with Mt. Desert Island on the south. The area of the Island may be estimated at about one hundred square miles; its greatest length being about fifteen miles, from Hadley Point in Eden on the north to Bass Harbor Head in Tremont on the south ; its greatest breadth, about twelve miles, from Great Head in Eden on the east to The Cape in Tremont on the west. The coast line, especially of the southern and western shores, is extremely irregular. Up the centre of the Island for fully half its length from north to south, through the mountain range, passes the fiord of Somes Sound (or " The River "), a deep arm of the sea, dividing the Island into two almost equal sections. Across the

20 INTRODUCTION.

centre from Western Mt. on the west to Newport Mt. on the east stretches the granitic range of mountains that has given Mt. Desert its name, rising almost from the sea to heights varying from about three hundred to over fifteen hundred feet. Towards the north the ground slopes to the farming lands of Eden and the great meadow of the Northeast Creek, and towards the southwest to the meadows of Marsh Creek, to Great Heath and the boggy wilderness below the Hio. Between the peaks of the granitic range lie deep valleys, filled either by an arm of the sea, as Somes Sound, or by a lake or pond of more or less magnitude. These are mountain ponds for the most part, many of them of great depth, with rocky shores broken by stretches of sand or gravel beaches. None of the streams are of much size, and the regularity even of their natural flow has been greatly diminished by the wanton destruction of the woods about their water sheds.1

All of these facts, however, are much better explained by the map itself, and by the article on the geology of the Island by Professor Davis, kindly contributed by him for this very purpose. It is better, therefore, in this place to make no more than the most general statements in regard to the topography. Neither is it well to attempt any detailed description of the flora in its relations to these physical and geological characteristics, for as yet the evidence seems too fragmentary and disconnected to prove facts of much value. A few brief statements of a very general nature, illustrated by a few examples, may however be of interest to the botanist.

One of the most marked characteristics of the Isl- and flora is its not only strongly northern, but arctic

1 See " The Woods of Mt. Desert Island," Garden and Forest, II. 483.

INTRODUCTION. 21

character.1 On its coast, enveloped in cold fogs and washed by waters chilled by the arctic currrent, it is no wonder that arctic plants like Montia fontana and Stellaria humifusa should find a congenial home. More- over, this character of the flora is shown by the fact that, with one exception, Lycopodium Selago, the mountain plants descend to the sea level. Neither on the one hand is the altitude of the mountain summits sufficient to develop an alpine flora, nor on the other hand is the warmth and general character of the lowlands sufficient to bring many of the plants of the middle temperate region thus far up the coast of Maine. The flora, then, may be said to be essentially Canadian, having close relations with the very similar flora of New Brunswick. It also shows, apart from its maritime character, many points of resemblance to the general flora of the White Mountain region. It is in its special problems, however, that plant distribution becomes of great interest at Mt. Desert, and it may be well, therefore, to consider a few cases by way of illustration.

The return of vegetable life after the glacial period must have taken place along somewhat more contracted lines than are shown to-day. Mt. Desert was then, as now, isolated from the mainland, but was without doubt in a state of greater submergence. It is therefore natural that there should exist in abundance on the mainland many plants that are not found at all on the Island, or are found there only very rarely. The water on the north of the Island is not of great extent or depth at present, yet it appears that some plants, especially those with seeds not easily transported by ordinary means, have

1 About two hundred and thirty of the flowering plants of Mt. Desert are common to the arctic flora.

22 INTRODUCTION.

always found difficulty in crossing it from the mainland. This difficulty has had its effect in decreasing the Island flora.

Again, in the development of their flora the Cranberry Isles have shown some peculiarities. These islands, once doubtless a part of Mt. Desert, and through it connected with the mainland, were later submerged, and then ele- vated again to develop their flora independently of Mt. Desert, except so far as the flora of the smaller area came from that of the greater, then doubtless more advanced in the renewal of its vegetation, owing to its greater altitude and consequent earlier elevation. That there was some independent development is well shown by the fact that between the Cranberry Isles and the adjacent portion of Mt. Desert about the Sea Wall there exist some remarkable differences in the flora, as well as some strong points of union. Under almost pre- cisely the same conditions, we find Corema near the Sea Wall, but not on the Cranberry Isles ; we find Montia, Stellaria humifusa, and Rubus Chamcemorus on the Cran- berry Isles, but not on Mt. Desert ; we find Symplocarpus foetidus and Hippuris vulgaris on the Cranberry Isles and also on Mt. Desert, but at the Sea Wall alone. Such evidence as this may point to the introduction of certain plants on Mt. Desert by way of the Cranberry Isles, while on the other hand doubtless most of the plants of the Cranberry Isles came from Mt. Desert.

It is certainly far from improbable that the more northern plants came to the Cranberry Isles by sea, either from the north in later times, or from the south when these islands first appeared above the sea at the conclusion of the glacial period. If from the north, there would be little opportunity for colonization on the rocky eastern and

INTRODUCTION. 23

southeastern coasts of Mt. Desert, — an opportunity, how- ever, which would readily be presented on the low shores, and in the coast marshes and lagoons of the Cranberry Isles. Yet it would seem improbable that all these plants reached the Cranberry Isles only. Montia has been found also on the Duck Islands, and might likewise, and as readily, be carried by ocean currents farther on, at least to the westward adjoining shores of Mt. Desert. There in the southwestern part of the Island similar conditions existed for the colonization of these plants as on the Cran- berry Isles, yet in fact they do not appear, so far as known. If, on the other hand, they came from the south, remain- ing behind in the progress of plant life northward after the glacial period, and finding here favorable surroundings for their existence, all the more we should expect to find these plants also in the southwestern projection of Mt. Desert Island. Here the land would be reached earlier in the northward march, and would be found to present the same conditions of soil and of general physical char- acter as the Cranberry Isles. As, however, none of these peculiar plants except Symplocarpus and Hippuris appear even on this part of Mt. Desert, the evidence at present seems in favor of a later migration from the north, rather than of the much earlier introduction from the south. The whole subject is one of great interest, and will repay careful study.

Another interesting feature of the Mt. Desert flora is shown by the comparatively small representation of in- troduced foreign plants, especially of weeds of cultivated ground. Excluding garden escapes and a few plants naturalized by intentional introduction, we find that the number of weeds is very small in comparison with that of similar areas in New England. The reason is a very

24 INTRODUCTION.

simple one, — the slight development of the Island for agricultural purposes, — an explanation that is fully sus- tained by the facts.

In earlier times very little attention was paid to farm- ing, doubtless because the physical character of the Island is not of a nature favoring agriculture except under limited or somewhat expensive conditions. The surface is mostly mountainous or rocky, the soil is usually thin and poor, and has often disappeared as a covering, — a result of reckless wood cutting and of the consequent forest fires. Taken as a whole, the north of tiie Island contains the best farming land; the south, for the most part, is too near the dominant granitic range to furnish deep soil or level ground save under exceptional condi- tions. Moreover, under these unfavorable conditions there was nothing to encourage farming as a means of support, for there was no market for garden products. It is not strange, therefore, that fishing, lumbering, ship- building, and other pursuits, were the more profitable employments of the early settlers. All agricultural operations were conducted on a very limited scale, and for the most part involved nothing more than the cultiva- tion of small vegetable patches for home purposes. These patches were seldom well cared for, and were rarely culti- vated in the same spot for more than a year at a time. Of late years, however, it has been found profitable by many landowners to raise vegetables to supply the sum- mer demand at Bar Harbor and the other summer resorts of the Island. Consequently there has been more sys- tematic cultivation of the ground both for agricultural and for horticultural purposes.

In the earlier days of the settlement of the Island, therefore, we should expect to find few of those weeds that

INTRODUCTION. 25

constantly need the aid of man to secure and maintain a foothold. Such is the case. The weeds of those days were obliged to adapt themselves to the most hostile conditions. If they could not do this, they lingered on year by year wherever they could maintain a foothold, and then almost disappeared from the flora of the Island. Consequently these weeds were largely of native origin, and not many in number.

But within a few years a new state of things has arisen. Not only have the old weeds been gaining a stronger and stronger foothold, but additions to the list are reported every year, chiefly at Bar Harbor or in its neighborhood, whence they spread to other parts of the Island. Only a few years ago such common weeds as Portulaca oleracea, Amarantus retroflexus and A. albus, Medicago lupulina, Lepidium Virginicum, Mollugo verticillata, and Plantago lanceolata were either unknown or so rare that it was diffi- cult even to secure specimens of them. They are now becoming more and more common, and appearing slowly but surely throughout Mt. Desert. Some of these obtain their foothold through cultivation of the soil, and all seem to come, as many people do, because it is the fashion, taking advantage of the increased means of introduction afforded by the importation of foreign seed, of foreign soil with other plants, of hay, and of the various other methods by which weeds travel about from place to place.

This explanation, it is hoped, will show why so many of the common weeds find no place in this Catalogue. It also shows that at any time such additions to the flora are likely to be reported by any botanist who happens to examine the waste and cultivated grounds and the way- sides of the constantly growing villages and settlements. Of these newcomers it will be well to ascertain and note carefully the date of introduction.

26 INTRODUCTION.

It is interesting also to notice what does not appear, as well as what does appear in this Catalogue. It was once said, indeed, that the flora of Mt. Desert was more remarkable for what it did not include than for what it did, — a statement that our present knowledge of the flora hardly seems to justify Yet there are many impor- tant gaps in the Catalogue that it is hard to account for in any satisfactory manner. It can only be said that for some reason or other these missing plants do not occur on this part of the coast, or, in cases where they do occur on the adjacent mainland, that they never were able to cross the water to Mt. Desert Island. It is certain that the latitude is not the cause, for these plants are found much farther north. Doubtless the cold east winds and the sea fogs may have driven back many plants trying to effect a lodgment here ; but in that case there should be a marked difference between the flora of the exposed southern and eastern coasts, and that of the northwestern, central, and northern parts of the Island. A study of the Catalogue will show that there is some such difference, but not so marked, we think, that it can be relied on as evidence to any very great extent. It proves, however, that no one can be well acquainted with the flora until he has studied carefully the plants of the country lying north of the main granitic belt, as well as those of the better known and more frequented parts of the Island.

It may be interesting to mention some cases of these missing plants. The Pulse Family, Leguminosce, will fur- nish a striking instance. The Catalogue shows that the Island flora contains only eighteen species, representing eight genera, obviously a very insufficient representation when we consider that shown by many points farther north with otherwise much the same flora. Of these species, ten

INTRODUCTION. 27

are naturalized on this continent from Europe; two are introduced from other parts of North America ; two more, as appears from circumstantial evidence, may also have been so introduced; leaving only four species that are indigenous in the common sense. This would seem to prove that at Mt. Desert there was some obstacle besides climate which leguminous plants found it difficult to surmount. That it is not some hostile condition at the present time appears from the fact that when northern species of this family are introduced on the Island they flourish as well there as elsewhere.

Further instances are the genera Asclepias and Gen- tiana, and many others, —of which no representative whatever is found, — and a number of species belonging to different genera, which are found northward on the mainland, but not on Mt. Desert. It may be that some day many of these missing plants will reach the Island, but at present their absence seems as unmistakable as it is unaccountable.

For its disappointments, however, the flora makes am- ple compensation. For so limited and circumscribed an area our territory possesses many plants interesting to any lover of our New England flora, and has contributed some forms that are of interest to the general botanist as well. Even its most common flowers take new and unex- pected deepness of color from the cool sea air, and are a constant delight both to botanist and mere flower-lover. Our work has been a labor of love, the fruit of happy days, and the source of pleasant memories. If this Catalogue proves a help to those for whom it is intended, and en- ables them to share the pleasure we have gained on this wonderful island of Mt. Desert, we shall be more than satisfied.

28 INTRODUCTION.

II. THE MAP OP MOUNT DESERT ISLAND.

SOME years ago it became very evident that there was to be great difficulty in properly indicating stations for the various Island plants needing such limitation. While it was necessary in some cases to make the station some- what indefinite in description in order to guard against extermination on the one hand by the flower-puller and the plant-digger, and on the other by the over-zealous botanist, yet it was necessary in all cases to give a name to the station that should be both accurate and well known as a matter of geographical nomenclature. To some it may seem that this involved merely a reference to any map of the Island to ascertain the necessary information, but this was a solution of only a portion of the difficulty. In the first place the two maps most readily consulted, the Land Map of Colby and Stuart and the Coast Survey Map, pay very little attention to the names of the points of minor interest on the Island. As such points are often of the greatest botanical interest, and must be referred to, it was clear that the present maps would not be of much assistance in these cases. In the second place, the geographical nomenclature employed on the Coast Survey Map, and followed in some degree on the Land Map, is often, we regret to say, absolutely erroneous. In many a case, indeed, there is no explana- tion whatever to account for the blunders, except that the officers in charge of the work must have coined names for their own use, regardless or in ignorance of the fact that there might be names already attached to the places in question. In other cases, by some curious mistake, names have been carelessly transposed and interchanged. The

INTRODUCTION. 29

natural result of all these errors was to establish two sets of names, one known to those acquainted only with the maps, the other to those who either lived on the Island, or knew the Island independently of map knowl- edge. Furthermore, the matter of nomenclature was much complicated by the insufferable tendency of sum- mer visitors to give new names, often showing the worst possible taste, to any natural feature that might happen to attract their attention. Such names deserve preser- vation only in rare cases, and should not be tolerated for a moment unless by lapse of time or by custom the new name has fairly superseded the old for all practical purposes.

To remedy these evils, and to secure a standard for citation in our Catalogue, it was decided to make as thor- ough an investigation of the geographical nomenclature of the Island as possible, to adopt a system of correct nomenclature, and finally to prepare a map that should set forth the results of our work. For over three years this investigation was carried on, until, in June, 1893, the map was published. If we may judge by what we have heard ourselves, or by what has been reported to us by others, very little fault is found with the nomenclature adopted. It is to be borne in mind that where the nomen- clature of our map differs from that of the Coast Survey it is to be explained on one of two grounds: either because the Coast Survey attached a name to the wrong locality, or because it coined a name or substituted one of no authority to replace a name well known and in common use upon the Island. A very striking instance of the error last mentioned is found in the unauthorized use of Turtle Lake for Bubble Pond, or for the oldest name of all, now obsolete, Southeast Pond.

30 INTRODUCTION.

The preparation of this map made necessary much cor- respondence and much careful investigation of ancient maps, plans, and records. Such an undertaking could never have been brought to a successful conclusion had it not been for the kindly interest shown and the invalu- able assistance given by natives of the Island who knew and loved it well. Among these helpers, many of whom we regret to say we hardly know by name, but whose assistance, by whatever means it reached us, we value highly, we wish to give our especial thanks to the Rev. Oliver H. Fernald ; to Mr. Eben M. Hamor, of Eden ; to Messrs. T. S. Somes, George A. Somes, Thomas Bartlett, and A. C. Savage, of Mt. Desert; to Messrs. W. W. A. Heath and C. M. Hoi- den, of Tremont; and to Mr. P. C. Stover, of Cranberry Isles ; all of whom by inquiry, by personal investigation, and by advice and criticism have done so much to give the map its accuracy and merit. To Mr. Fernald, born and brought up on the Island, and still retaining in his residence in another part of the State his love for his native place and his interest in its affairs, we owe the in- spiration of this undertaking, and to his encouragement and assistance its final accomplishment.

By the kind permission of Prof. Thomas C. Mendenhall, Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, we have used the Coast Survey Map for the important physical features, making here and there a few corrections, and supplying a few omissions. We wish here to express our appreciation of his courtesy, which has enabled us to give a much better map to the public. New roads, the town boundaries, and additional wood roads and paths have been added, the different post-offices indicated, and such points of interest named as it seemed would make a map not only suitable for our purpose, but of value

INTRODUCTION. 31

to any one interested in the Island. The general rules followed in regard to nomenclature have already been explained in the Preface.1

It could not have been expected that our map would be either complete or entirely free from error. Since its publication, therefore, effort has been made to discover omissions and mistakes, in the hope that some time in the future we can make any corrections that may be found necessary. We wish at present to call attention to the following list of the more important errors and omis- sions thus far discovered.

(1) The town boundary between Mt. Desert and Tremont in the territory lying between Somes Sound and Great Pond should begin on the eastern shore of Great Pond at the point shown on the map, and should run in a straight line in a southeasterly direction to a point on the shore of Valley Cove nearly opposite the word " Eagle " on the map. This shows the true boundary some distance to the north of the boundary shown on the map.

(2) At the Quarries on the western