/ 
 
 NOAA TR NMFS CIRC-384 
 
 NOAA Technical Report NMFS CIRC-384 
 
 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
 
 National Marine Fisheries Service 
 
 Marine Flora and Fauna of 
 the Northeastern United States. 
 Higher Plants of the Marine Fringe 
 
 EDWIN T. MOUL 
 
 M1E 
 
 % 
 
 SEATTLE, WA 
 September 1973 
 
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 ttJft 
 
 fe*.<^ 
 
NOAA TECHNICAL REPORTS 
 
 National Marine Fisheries Service, Circulars 
 
 The major responsibilities of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are to monitor and assess the 
 abundance and geographic distribution of fishery resources, to understand and predict fluctuations in the quan- 
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 The NOAA Technical Report NMFS CIRC series continues a series that has been in existence since 1941. The 
 Circulars are technical publications of general interest intended to aid conservation and management. Publica- 
 tions that review in considerable detail and at a high technical level certain broad areas of research appear in 
 this series. Technical papers originating in economics studies and from management investigations appear in 
 the Circular series. 
 
 NOAA Technical Reports NMFS CIRC are available free in limited numbers to governmental agencies, both 
 Federal and State. They are also available in exchange for other scientific and technical publications in the ma- 
 rine sciences. Individual copies may be obtained (unless otherwise noted) from NOAA Publications Section, Rock- 
 ville, Md. 20852. Recent Circulars are: 
 
 315. Synopsis of biological data on the chum salmon, 
 Oncorhyyichus keta (Walbaum) 1792. By Rich- 
 ard G. Bakkala. March 1970, iii + 89 pp., 15 
 figs., 51 tables. 
 
 319. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Great Lakes 
 Fishery Laboratory, Ann Arbor, Michigan. By 
 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. March 1970, 
 8 pp., 7 figs. 
 
 330. EASTROPAC Atlas: Vols. 4, 2. Catalog No. 
 
 1 49.4: 330/ (vol.) 11 vols. ($4.75 each). Avail- 
 able from the Superintendent of Documents, 
 Washington, D.C. 20402. 
 
 331. Guidelines for the processing of hot-smoked chub. 
 By H. L. Seagran, J. T. Graikoski, and J. A. 
 Emerson. January 1970, iv + 23 pp., 8 figs., 
 
 2 tables. 
 
 332. Pacific hake. ( 12 articles by 20 authors. ) 
 1970, iii + 152 pp., 72 figs., 47 tables. 
 
 March 
 
 333. Recommended practices for vessel sanitation and 
 fish handling. By Edgar W. Bowman and Alfred 
 Larsen. March 1970, iv + 27 pp., 6 figs. 
 
 335. Progress report of the Bureau of Commercial 
 Fisheries Center for Estuarine and Menhaden 
 Research, Pesticide Field Station, Gulf Breeze, 
 Fla., fiscal year 1969. By the Laboratory staff. 
 August 1970, iii + 33 pp., 29 figs., 12 tables. 
 
 336. The northern fur seal. By Ralph C. Baker, Ford 
 Wilke, and C. Howard Baltzo. April 1970, iii + 
 19 pp., 13 figs. 
 
 337. Program of Division of Economic Research, 
 Bureau of Commerecial Fisheries, fiscal year 
 
 1969. By Division of Economic Research. April 
 
 1970, iii + 29 pp., 12 figs., 7 tables. 
 
 338. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Lab- 
 oratory, Auke Bay, Alaska. By Bureau of Com- 
 mercial Fisheries. June 1970, 8 pp., 6 figs. 
 
 339. Salmon research at Ice Harbor Dam. By Wesley 
 J. Ebel. April 1970, 6 pp., 4 figs. 
 
 340. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Technological 
 Laboratory, Gloucester, Massachusetts. By Bu- 
 reau of Commercial Fisheries. June 1970, 8 pp., 
 8 figs. 
 
 341. Report of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 
 Biological Laboratory, Beaufort, N.C., for the 
 fiscal year ending June 30, 1968. By the Lab- 
 oratory staff. August 1970, iii + 24 pp., 11 figs., 
 16 tables. 
 
 342. Report of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 
 Biological Laboratory, St. Petersburg Beach, 
 Florida, fiscal year 1969. By the Laboratory staff. 
 August 1970, iii + 22 pp., 20 figs., 8 tables. 
 
 343. Report of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 
 Biological Laboratory, Galveston, Texas, fiscal 
 year 1969. By the Laboratory staff. August 
 1970, iii + 39 pp., 28 figs., 9 tables. 
 
 344. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Tropical Atlan- 
 tic Biological Laboratory progress in research 
 1965-69, Miami, Florida. By Ann Weeks. Oc- 
 tober 1970, iv + 65 pp., 53 figs. 
 
 346. Sportsman's guide to handling, smoking, and pre- 
 serving Great Lakes coho salmon. By Shearon 
 Dudley, J. T. Graikoski, H. L. Seagran, and Paul 
 M. Earl. September 1970, iii + 28 pp., 15 figs. 
 
 347. Synopsis of biological data on Pacific ocean perch, 
 Sebastodes alutus. By Richard L. Major and 
 Herbert H. Shippen. December 1970, iii + 38 
 pp., 31 figs., 11 tables. 
 
 Continued on inside back cover. 
 

 r ^£/\JT Of 
 
 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 Frederick B. Dent, Secretary 
 
 NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 
 Robert M. White, Administrator 
 
 NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE 
 Robert W. Schoning, Director 
 
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 NOAA Technical Report NMFS CIRC-384 
 
 Marine Flora and Fauna of 
 the Northeastern United States. 
 Higher Plants of the Marine Fringe 
 
 EDWIN T. MOUL 
 Illustrations by Ruth von Arx 
 
 SEATTLE, WA 
 September 1973 
 
 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 
 Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 65 cents 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 This issue of the "Circulars" is part of a subseries entitled "Marine Flora and Fauna 
 of the Northeastern United States." This subseries will consist of original, illustrated, 
 modern manuals on the identification, classification, and general biology of the estuarine 
 and coastal marine plants and animals of the Northeastern United States. Manuals 
 will be published at irregular intervals on as many taxa of the region as there are 
 specialists willing to collaborate in their preparation. 
 
 The manuals are an outgrowth of the widely used "Keys to Marine Invertebrates 
 of the Woods Hole Region," edited by R. I. Smith, published in 1964, and produced under 
 the auspices of the Systematics-Ecology Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods 
 Hole, Mass. Instead of revising the "Woods Hole Keys," the staff of the Systematics- 
 Ecology Program decided to expand the geographic coverage and bathymetric range and 
 produce the keys in an entirely new set of expanded publications. 
 
 The "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States" is being prepared 
 in collaboration with systematic specialists in the United States and abroad. Each man- 
 ual will be based primarily on recent and ongoing revisionary systematic research and 
 a fresh examination of the plants and animals. Each major taxon, treated in a separate 
 manual, will include an introduction, illustrated glossary, uniform originally illustrated 
 keys, annotated check list with information when available on distribution, habitat, life 
 history, and related biology, references to the major literature of the group, and a system- 
 atic index. 
 
 These manuals are intended for use by biology students, biologists, biological ocean- 
 ographers, informed laymen, and others wishing to identify coastal organisms for this 
 region. In many instances the manuals will serve as a guide to additional information 
 about the species or the group. 
 
 Geographic coverage of the "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United 
 States" is planned to include organisms from the headwaters of estuaries seaward to 
 approximately the 200-m depth on the continental shelf from Maine to Virginia, but 
 may vary somewhat with each major taxon and the interests of collaborators. When- 
 ever possible representative specimens dealt with in the manuals will be deposited in 
 reference collections of the Gray Museum, Marine Biological Laboratory, and other 
 universities and research laboratories in the region. 
 
 After a sufficient number of manuals of related taxonomic groups have been pub- 
 lished, the manuals will be revised, grouped, and issued as special volumes. These vol- 
 umes will thus consist of compilations of individual manuals within phyla such as the 
 Coelenterata, Arthropoda, and Mollusca, or of groups of phyla. 
 
 11 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 Introduction 1 
 
 Glossary 2 
 
 Vegetative key to higher plants of beaches, dunes, 
 
 and tidal marshes 4 
 
 Distribution of plants by habitats 44 
 
 Vegetation of beaches 44 
 
 Vegetation of dunes 45 
 
 Vegetation of tidal marshes 51 
 
 Selected bibliography 53 
 
 Systematic index 55 
 
 Index to common names and habitats . 57 
 
 Acknowledgments 60 
 
 Coordinator's comments 60 
 
 The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, rec- 
 ommend or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material 
 mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to NMFS, or 
 to this publication furnished by NMFS, in any advertising or sales pro- 
 motion which would indicate or imply that NMFS approves, recommends 
 or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned 
 herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to cause directly or indirectly 
 the advertised product to be used or purchased because of this NMFS 
 publication. 
 
 Ill 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/marineflorafaunaOOmoul 
 
MARINE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE NORTHEASTERN 
 
 UNITED STATES. 
 Higher Plants of the Marine Fringe 
 
 EDWIN T. MOUL 1 
 
 ABSTRACT 
 
 The common higher plants of the beaches, dunes, morainal cliffs, and tidal marshes of 
 Southern New England are treated in an illustrated key, using only vegetative characters. Both 
 scientific and common names are given. Habitat lists of the plants are included, presenting to 
 the investigator the association of plants as they occur in nature. The range of each plant 
 along the Atlantic coast is designated. A glossary of terms is included. 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 The marine environment in southern New- 
 England is bordered by beaches, dunes, tidal 
 marshes, and morainal cliffs. In these various 
 types of harsh habitats a limited number of high- 
 er plants are able to grow and flourish, resisting 
 wind and salt spray. 
 
 The illustrated key on the following pages was 
 prepared for the identification of most of the 
 higher plants growing on this marine fringe. 
 The characters employed in the key are vege- 
 tative, principally leaf form, and occasionally 
 root and stem features. The use of these char- 
 acteristics not only makes the key less technical, 
 but permits the identification of plants without 
 flowers and fruits. The key is designed for bi- 
 ologists, biology students, and amateur botanists. 
 A glossary of the few technical terms employed, 
 as well as diagrams illustrating the main char- 
 acters used to describe leaf shapes (Plate I) , are 
 provided. 
 
 A systematic list of plants has been omitted. 
 Instead plants are arranged in lists according 
 to the habitats in which they grow. This meth- 
 od of listing is useful to the investigator as it 
 
 1 Department of Botany, Nelson Biological Labora- 
 tories, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, 
 and Systematics-Ecology Program, Marine Biological 
 Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543. 
 
 presents the association of plants as they occur 
 together in nature. 
 
 After the name of each species in the habitat 
 list is given the geographic distribution of the 
 plant along the Atlantic coast as recorded in 
 "Gray's Manual of Botany" (Fernald, 1950). 
 Although "Higher Plants of the Marine Fringe" 
 has been designed primarily for use in southern 
 New England, the information on distribution 
 will give it wider application to the north and to 
 the south. The key has been tested primarily 
 on Cape Cod and has also been found usable in 
 Maine, New Jersey, and Delaware. However, 
 the user should be cautioned that species of 
 plants will be found both north and south of 
 southern New England which are not included 
 in the key. While most of the plants in the key 
 are wide ranging, a few are restricted to our 
 northern shores. Frequently, mention is made 
 of species of a genus not included in the key 
 that may occur in southern New England or out- 
 side the range of this key. 
 
 The majority of plants included here are the 
 spermatophytes or flowering plants. Only one 
 fern occurring in the dune habitat is listed. A 
 few mosses and lichens that are characteristic 
 of dune bogs and two algae that are integral 
 parts of the flora of tidal marshes are mentioned 
 in the habitat lists, but not in the key. 
 
The type of key used in this manual is prob- 
 ably familiar to most investigators. It consists 
 of two statements of contrasting characters. The 
 user makes a choice of the one which fits the 
 plant in hand. This will lead to a number which 
 will take him to another pair of characters where 
 he again makes a choice. This eventually leads 
 to a specific plant name. In order to permit 
 working in reverse, the number of the preceding 
 character is given in parenthesis. 
 
 A complete collection of the plants included 
 in this key has been deposited in the Herbarium 
 of the Gray Museum, Marine Biological Labora- 
 tory. 
 
 GLOSSARY 
 
 The use of technical botanical terms has been 
 kept to a minimum. Those found to be neces- 
 sary are included in this glossary. Terms used 
 to describe leaf shapes, tips, and margins, and 
 the juncture of sheath and blade in grasses are 
 illustrated in Plate I. 
 
 achene a small, dry, one-seeded fruit that does 
 
 not open at maturity. 
 acuminate see Plate I. 
 acute see Plate I. 
 apical relating to the apex or tip. 
 auricle an ear shaped appendage or lobe (see 
 
 grass, Plate I). 
 axile in the angle between two structures. 
 bract a modified leaf subtending a flower, some- 
 times on the stem. 
 capsule a dry fruit that opens when ripe and 
 
 with more than one-seed cavity. 
 caudex the persistent base, sometimes woody, 
 
 of an herbaceous stem. 
 clasping in which the base of the leaf partially 
 
 encircles the stem (see Fig. 47). 
 corymb a flat topped or convex open flower 
 
 cluster. 
 cryptogams lower plants, nonflowering. 
 deciduous not persistent, not evergreen. 
 dioecious male and female elements in separate 
 
 plants (two households). 
 drupe a fleshy fruit with a stone seed. 
 filiform threadlike. 
 glume a chafflike bract at the base of the spik- 
 
 let in grasses. 
 imbricated overlapping. 
 involute rolled inward. 
 
 leaf shapes and margins see Plate I. 
 
 lenticels corky spots on the young bark of trees 
 
 and shrubs. 
 ligule a projection from the summit of the 
 
 sheath in grasses (see Plate I) ; the flattened 
 
 limb of the ray flower of compositae. 
 node place on a stem where leaves or buds 
 
 occur. 
 ocreae a tabular stipule, or a pair of stipules, 
 
 joined and elongated. 
 panicle a loose irregular compound flower 
 
 cluster with flowers on small stems. 
 pappus appendages in tufts at top of ovary or 
 
 fruit of such plants as thistle and dandelion. 
 
 Usually cottony and useful in the dispersal of 
 
 the fruits or seeds. 
 pedicel the stem of a single flower in a cluster. 
 peduncle the stem of a single flower. 
 petiole the stem of a leaf. 
 pome a fleshy fruit like an apple. 
 pubescent covered with short, soft hairs. 
 raceme a flower cluster of stemmed flowers on 
 
 an elongated axis. 
 rachis the axis of a compound leaf. 
 rhizome a prostrate, subterranean stem, root- 
 ing at nodes. 
 rugose wrinkled. 
 scabrous rough to the touch. 
 scape a naked flower stem rising from the 
 
 ground. 
 sepal a leaf like outer division of the flower, 
 
 often green. 
 sessile without an individual stem, as a leaf 
 
 attached directly to main stem. 
 setaceous bristle shaped. 
 
 silique a specialized capsule in which a parti- 
 tion separates each seed cavity; characteristic 
 
 of Cruciferae. 
 spike an elongated flower axis in which the 
 
 flowers are sessile or almost sessile. 
 stipule an appendage at the base of the petiole 
 
 or leaf or at each side of the attachment to 
 
 the main stem (see Fig. 6, 7). 
 terete cylindrical, having a circular cross sec- 
 tion. 
 umbel a flower cluster in which the individual 
 
 flower stems arise from the same level (Flower 
 
 of Wild Carrot). 
 veins the conducting tissue in a leaf. 
 villous bearing long and soft hairs. 
 whorl three or more leaves in a circle around 
 
 the stem (at the node). 
 
 
LEAF SHAPES 
 
 i. 
 
 2. 
 3. 
 
 linear 
 
 lanceolate 
 
 oblanceolate 
 
 4. spatulate 
 
 5. oblong 
 
 6. ovate 
 
 8 
 
 7. obovate 
 
 8. deltoid 
 
 9. hastate 
 
 10 
 
 10. cordate 
 
 II 
 
 11. palmately compound 
 
 12 
 
 12. pinnately compound 
 
 LEAF MARGINS 
 
 1. entire 
 
 2. dentate 
 
 5. 
 
 3. serrate 
 
 4. sinuate 
 pinnate 
 
 LEAF TIPS 
 
 1 . acuminate 
 
 2. acute 
 
 Blade 
 
 Sheath 
 
 Junction of blade and 
 sheath in grasses 
 
 Plate I. — Examples of leaf shapes, leaf margins, leaf tips, and junction of blade and sheath in grasses 
 
 referred to in the glossary. 
 
VEGETATIVE KEY TO HIGHER PLANTS OF BEACHES, DUNES, AND 
 
 TIDAL MARSHES 
 
 1 Woody plants, trees and/or shrubs more than 2 ft tall 2 
 
 (Caution: before proceeding, see description of Poison Ivy in couplet 6 be- 
 low; also a few herbaceous plants have a woody caudex or underground basal 
 woody structure.) 
 
 1 Herbaceous plants 24 
 
 2 (1) Needle or scale leaved trees, evergreen; cones or berrylike cones present 3 
 
 2 (1) Broad leaved trees or shrubs, cones or berrylike cones not present 4 
 
 3 (2) Needle leaves in bundles 
 of three; seeds in a cone. 
 
 Pinus rigida, 
 
 Pitch Pine 
 
 Figure 1. — Leaves XI- 
 
 3 (2) Scaly leaves, opposite or in whorls of three, spiny on ju- 
 venile stems, adpressed to twigs on mature stems; berry- 
 like cone Juniperus virginiana, 
 
 Red Cedar 
 
 Figure 2. — Mature twig X2 
 
 4 (2) Simple leaves (single blade) (see Fig. 8, 9) 
 
 4 (2) Compound leaves (three or more leaflets to a blade) (see Fig. 4, 5), 
 
 5 (-4) Palmately compound or trifoliate leaves (see Fig. 3, 4) 
 
 5 (-4) Pinnately compound leaves (see Fig. 5) 
 
 4 
 
6 (5) Shrubby to vinelike plants with three 
 leaflets which are dark green and 
 shiny above, orange to scarlet foliage 
 in the fall; POISONOUS TO TOUCH; 
 clusters of yellowish flowers below 
 the I eaves ; fruit berrylike, yellow to 
 
 white Rhus radicans, 
 
 Poison Ivy 
 
 Figure 3. 
 
 6 (5) Vinelike plants with leaves of five leaflets which 
 are light green above and have serrate edges; 
 scarlet foliage in the fall; tendrils with adhesive 
 disks; flowers in a panicle; fruit a blueberry. 
 
 Parthenocissus quinquefolia, 
 
 Virginia Creeper or Woodbine. 
 
 Figure 4. — Leaf X % 
 
 7 (5) Shrub to about 10 m high, lacking 
 thorns; 7-23 linear, oblong, entire 
 leaflets with wing margined ra- 
 chis (leaf stem) ; flowers term- 
 inal, pyramidal, yellowish to 
 green; a hairy red drupelike fruit. 
 
 Rhus copallina, 
 
 Dwarf Sumac 
 
 Figure 5. — Leaf X%- 
 
 7 (5) Shrubby plants with thorns; five to nine leaflets; large persistent stipules at 
 base of compound leaves; rose colored flowers (sometimes white) 
 
8 (7) Leaflets coarse, dark green 
 above, light green below, to 
 5 cm long; many thorns, large 
 and small on stem; flowers 
 rose or white; large red apple- 
 like fruit (hips) to 3 or 4 cm 
 broad; usually forming thick- 
 ets on dunes and resistant to 
 
 salt spray Rosa rugosa, 
 
 Salt-Spray Rose 
 
 Figure 6. — Fruit and leaf X % 
 
 8 (7) Leaflets finer, light green 
 above and below, coarse- 
 ly serrate with 5-15 teeth 
 above middle, to 3 cm 
 long; thorns at nodes 
 only; flowers rose; a 
 small applelike fruit to 
 1 cm broad; plants of 
 upland borders of dunes 
 
 and marshes Rosa palustris, 
 
 Swamp Rose (other 
 members of genus may 
 be present) 
 
 Figure 7. — Fruit and leaf XI- 
 
 9 (4) Maritime shrubs 2-12 ft tall; on higher ground in the tidal marshes and edge 
 of dunes; stems light tan and smooth; leaves fleshy and thick to the touch; 
 light green in color ; flowers greenish 10 
 
 9 (if) Shrubs and trees on dunes, many not restricted to maritime habitat; leaves 
 
 not fleshy and thick to touch; flowers variable in color 11 
 
10 (9) Leaves opposite (at least below), 
 lanceolate, sharply 6-15 toothed 
 on each side, 2-5 cm broad; prom- 
 inently 3-veined (nerved); plants 
 primarily at ditch edge and higher 
 
 ground in tidal marshes Iva frutescens 
 
 var. oraria, Marsh Elder, High 
 Tide Bush 
 
 Figure 8. — Leaf XL 
 
 10 (9) Leaves alternate, obovate or del- 
 toid-obovate, coarsely dentate 
 (toothed) on upper two-thirds of 
 leaf; plants dioecious (male and 
 female separate) ; white fluffy pap- 
 pus on the achenes of female plant 
 
 in the fall Baccharis halimifolia, 
 
 Sea Myrtle, Groundsel Tree 
 
 Figure 9. — Leaf XL 
 
 11 (9) Trees only (single main stem). . . 
 11 (9) Shrubs only (several main stems). 
 
 12 
 18 
 
 12 (11) Simple ovate leaves, entire or 
 with two or three apical lobes all 
 on the same tree; bark spicy- 
 aromatic; young twigs green; 
 
 fruit an ovoid blue drupe 
 
 Sassafras albidum, 
 
 Sassafras 
 
 Figure 10. — Leaves X% 
 
 12 (11) Simple leaves, but without apical lobes 13 
 
13 (12) Leaves with a stiff leathery texture and somewhat lobed; trees of the dunes 
 and hollows 
 
 13 (12) Leaves not leathery, simple and not lobed 
 
 14 
 15 
 
 14 (13) Leaves with heavy spiny teeth at the 
 end of shallow lobes, dark green above, 
 
 light green below Ilex opaca, 
 
 American Holly 
 
 Figure 11.— Leaf XL 
 
 14 (13) Leaves lobed with a bristle at the 
 end of the lobe, dark green above, 
 dense wooly hairy below; fruit an 
 
 acorn Quercus ilicifolia. 
 
 Holly Oak or Scrub Oak (other 
 species of genus on older dunes) 
 
 Figure 12.— Leaf XI 
 
 15 (13) Leaves ovate or elliptic, almost 
 broad as long; petioles (leaf 
 stalk) flattened or compressed 
 toward the base of leaf, two 
 glands at base of leaf blade, 20- 
 40 teeth; new branches reddish- 
 brown; leaves trembling in the 
 slightest breeze; trees of tran- 
 sition area between dunes and 
 
 uplands Populus tremuloides, 
 
 Quaking Aspen 
 
 Figure 13.— Leaf XI 
 
 15 (13) Leaves not as above, lacking long flattened petioles 16 
 
16 (15) Trees with stiff horizontal branch- 
 es; leaves simple, obovate to el- 
 liptic and entire; fruit an elongate 
 drupe to 1.5 cm long, purple, on a 
 long peduncle (3-6.5 cm) ; foliage 
 
 scarlet early in the fall Nyssa sylvatica, 
 
 Sour Gum 
 
 Figure 14.— Leaf XL 
 
 16 (15) Trees with usual branching, leaves simple, serrulate 17 
 
 17 (16) Bark of twigs smooth, reddish brown to blackish gray, with conspicuous len- 
 
 ticels (corky spots) ; bitter almond odor in bark; fruit a drupe (stone fruit) . .Prunus. A 
 
 A (17) Small trees, flowers and fruit in racemes B 
 
 A (17) Small trees or shrublike growth 
 habit; on dunes and along 
 shores; flowers and fruit soli- 
 tary or clusters; leaves ovate 
 or oval, acute tip, pubescent be- 
 neath when mature; fruit a 
 plumlike drupe; stone pointed 
 at both ends Prunus maritima, 
 
 Beach Plum 
 
 Figure 15.— Leaf XL 
 
 B (A) Sepals deciduous; leaf blade obovate, thin, mostly serrulate with slender 
 
 teeth, no villose hairs along midrib of the leaf. . . . Prunus virginiana, Choke Cherry 
 
 B (A) Sepals persistent; leaf blade 
 elliptic or lanceolate, serrulate 
 with relatively coarse teeth, 
 sometimes villose hairs along 
 prominent midrib of the leaf 
 below Prunus serotina, 
 
 Black Cherry 
 
 Figure 16.— Leaf X 
 
 17 (16) Bark of older twigs grayish, lenticels not 
 conspicuous; leaves elliptic to ovate-oblong, 
 4-5 cm long; no bitter almond odor in bark; 
 
 fruit a small pome (apple-like) Amelanchier laevis, 
 
 Shadbush (other members of genus may be 
 present) 
 
 Figure 17.— Leaf XL 
 
18 (11) Leaves tiny and scalelike, closely imbricated (covering base 
 of leaf above) , pubescent, flowers yellow, sessile ; low shrubs 
 forming hoary cushions 15-30 cm high on secondary sand 
 
 dunes and in the hollows between dunes Hudsonia tomentosa, 
 
 Beach Heather, Poverty Grass of Thoreau (H. ericoides 
 may occur on dunes) 
 
 Figure 18. — Stem, leaves and flowers X2. 
 
 18 (11 ) Leaves not tiny and scalelike 19 
 
 19 (18) Shrubs with leaves aromatic when crushed between the fingers 20 
 
 19 (18) Shrubs; leaves not aromatic 21 
 
 20 (19) Leaves elliptic, oblanceolate or obovate with wax 
 dots beneath; branches whitish gray or drab; clus- 
 ters of bony globular nuts covered with white or gray 
 
 wax Myrica pensylvanica, 
 
 Bayberry 
 
 Figure 19. — Stem and leaves X%- 
 
 10 
 
20 (19) Leaves linear lanceolate with 
 pinnate dentations (fernlike), 
 hairy on one or both surfaces, 
 wax dots prominent on upper 
 surface of leaf; branches darker 
 grey; bristled dry fruit (nut). 
 
 Comptonia peregrina, 
 
 Sweet Fern 
 
 Figure 20.— Leaf XL 
 
 21 (19) Trailing shrubs; bark papery red to ashy and ex- 
 foliating; leaves obovate to spatulate, evergreen, 
 leathery; fruit a dull red drupe; forms large mats 
 on sandy surface of back dunes and sea cliffs. 
 
 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, 
 
 Bearberry 
 
 Figure 21. — Stem and leaves X2. 
 
 21 (19) Erect shrubs; bark and leaves various; fruit various 22 
 
 22 (21) Leaves of stem broadly ovate, 7-18 
 cm long, 3-lobed, dark green above, 
 lower surface covered with light 
 pubescence; stems woody with large 
 pith (one-half width of stem) ; large 
 pink flowers, 4-10 cm broad (in some 
 areas flowers white with pink cen- 
 ter) ; fruit a capsule; plants of the 
 brackish fringe of the tidal marshes. 
 
 Hibiscus palustris, 
 
 Marsh Mallow 
 
 Figure 22.— Leaf X %. 
 
 22 (21) Leaves of stem small to 4 cm in length, not'lobed; stem with pith not visible; 
 flowers small, various colors; fruit various; plants generally of older dunes or 
 hollows of dunes 
 
 23 
 
 11 
 
23 (22) Shrubs of transitional part of dunes and in 
 wooded areas; leaves oval to oblong, entire; with 
 shiny resinous dots, black berrylike drupe with- 
 out a bloom Gaylnssacia baccata, 
 
 Black Huckleberry 
 
 Figure 23. — Stem and leaves XL 
 
 23 (22) Shrubs growing in low ground; leaves obovate to oblong, serrate, flowers in 
 
 elongate terminal panicles Spiraea. ... A 
 
 A (23) Leaves light green on both sides; flowers white to pinkish 1 
 
 1 (A) Main stem red or purple brown; flower stem glabrate (smooth). 
 
 S. latifolia, 
 
 Meadowsweet 
 
 1 (A) Main stem yellowish brown; 
 flower stem densely pubes- 
 cent S. alba, 
 
 Meadowsweet 
 
 Figure 24. — Stem and leaves XI 
 
 A (23) Leaves felted beneath with white or tawny hairs ; 
 
 flowers pink S. tomentosa, 
 
 Hardhack or Steeplebush 
 
 Figure 25. — Stem and leaves XI- 
 
 12 
 
24 (1) Plants submerged in water at all times, collapse when taken from the water 
 (flowering plants only, exclude algae) ; flowers may be above the water surface 
 and later withdrawn 
 
 25 
 
 24 (1) Plants may be submerged only periodically by tidal waters or completely terrestrial. . 27 
 
 25 (24) Blade of leaf long, flattened, 1.5-6 mm 
 wide and up to a meter long; usually 
 
 in very soft muddy bottom Zostera marina, 
 
 Eel Grass 
 
 Figure 26. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 
 (b) terminal portion of leaf XI 
 
 25 (24) Blades of the leaf, threadlike; in quieter water of estuaries, pools in the tidal 
 marsh, and brackish pools back of beaches 
 
 26 
 
 13 
 
26 (25) Flower and fruit spike of isolated 
 whorls of sessile flowers and fruits 
 raised above the stipules; fruit with 
 
 a short beak Potamogeton pectinatus, 
 
 Sago Pond Weed (other species may 
 occur) 
 
 Figure 27. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 
 (b) stem and flowers X2. 
 
 26 (25) Flower spikes enclosed at 
 first in sheathing leaf 
 base; fruit an assymetri- 
 cal cone-shaped drupe on 
 a long pedicel, 4 to 6 in a 
 cluster, peduncles fre- 
 quently twisted in a spiral 
 coil, pulling the fruits be- 
 low the water surface. . . 
 
 Ruppia maritima, 
 
 Widgeon Grass 
 
 Figure 28. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 
 (b) peduncle, pedicels 
 and fruits XI- 
 
 14 
 
27 (24) Grasses, sedges or rushes; leaves narrow and sheathing the stem. To deter- 
 mine grasses, sedges, and rushes read the following key characters and deter- 
 mine to which of the three groups your plant belongs. These are difficult groups 
 to identify and only the dominant species found along the marine fringe are in- 
 cluded. If doubtful, consult some reference such as Gray's Manual of Botany 
 (Fernald, 1950) or Gleason and Cronquist (1963): 
 
 A (27) Grasses (Gramineae). Stems cylindric, hollow except at the nodes (a few 
 have soft pith) ; leaves in two ranks on the stem, parallel veined; leaves 
 in two parts, a sheath enveloping the stem but open its full length and a 
 flat blade; at junction of sheath and the blade a membranous or hairy 
 appendage, the ligule (see Plate I), this will be the principal character 
 illustrated to designate the species; fruit a grain 85 
 
 B (27) Sedges (Cyperaceae). Stems usually solid and many are triangular (three 
 angled) ; roots fibrous; leaves in three ranks, when present, sheath closed 
 at the top; infloresence, a spike or cluster at top of the stem, flowers lack 
 petals and sepals, one flower in axile of each imbricated bract (scale) 
 which is usually brown; fruit an achene 86 
 
 € (27) Rushes (Juncaceae). Stems pithy or hollow, unbranched; leaves nar- 
 rowly lanceolate or filiform, in basal clumps (tussocks), or represented 
 by sheaths only; cymose or clustered small greenish or brownish flowers; 
 fruit a capsule 87 
 
 27 (24) Plants not grasses, sedges or rushes, leaves usually broader 28 
 
 28 (27) Plants extremely succulent (water in tissues) and fleshy, in some cases only 
 the leaves of this type; leaves then are very thick and firm between the fin- 
 gers; plants of exposed areas of beaches, dunes, and tidal marshes (if in doubt, 
 try this choice) 29 
 
 28 (27) Plants not extremely succulent or fleshy; leaves not thick and firm between the 
 fingers; plants more varied in their habitat, but usually not in extremely ex- 
 posed areas 39 
 
 29 (28) Plants with cylindrical (terete) leaves that look like extensions of the stem 30 
 
 29 (28) Plants with broader leaves, not cylindrical, or leaves reduced to scales 31 
 
 15 
 
30 (29) Leaves awl-shaped, alternate, 
 ending in a hairlike prickle, plants 
 difficult to handle because of these 
 stiff points, pubescent, plants usu- 
 ally of beaches Salsoli kali, 
 
 Saltwort 
 
 Glabrous or sparingly pubescent, 
 leaves longer and points of leaves 
 not as stiff var. caroliniana 
 
 Figure 29. — Stem and node with leaves XI- 
 
 30 (29) Leaves linear or slender, cylindric, not bearing a prickle, 
 
 rounded tips Suaeda. . . A 
 
 A (30) Low plants, branches spreading at base, seeds 2 mm 
 
 broad S. maritima, 
 
 Sea Blite 
 
 Figure 30. — Stem and leaves X2. 
 
 B (30) Erect plants, seeds 1.2-1.5 mm broad. 
 Sea Blite 
 
 ,S. linearis, 
 
 31 (29) Plants with opposite branching and opposite leaves or scales (opposite branching 
 
 strong at the base only in Atriplex) 32 
 
 31 (29) Plants with alternate branching and alternate leaves 34 
 
 16 
 
32 (31) Plants with jointed fleshy stems, leaves reduced to tiny scales at each joint 
 (node) ; flowers in hollows of the thickened upper joints, which form a spike. 
 Salicornia, Glassworts or Samphire. 
 
 .A 
 
 A (32) Plants perennial, with a stout 
 woody depressed stem (rhizome) 
 forking in the sand; long 
 branched trailing stem; flower 
 spikes at tip of ascending branch- 
 es; forms extensive perennial 
 mats S. virginica 
 
 Figure 31. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 (b) stem and scale 
 leaves XL 
 
 I I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 r 
 
 111, 1 ! 
 
 Iff i ' 
 
 I 
 
 i I id n 
 
 
 
 m / 
 
 i lute 
 
 / !' I' U 
 
 a 
 
 i b 
 
 A (32) Plants annuals from small root sys- 
 tems; erect plants B 
 
 B (A) Scales at the nodes of the stem mucronate-pointed 
 and conspicuous; joints of the flower spike 
 thicker than long S. bigelovii 
 
 Figure 32. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 (b) stem and scale 
 leaves XL 
 
 4 
 
 V b 
 
 B (A) Scale at the nodes blunt, inconspicuous 
 when dried; joints of the flowering spike 
 longer than thick S. europaea 
 
 Figure 33.— (a) Habit sketch; 
 (b) stem, branches, 
 and scale 
 leaves XI- 
 
 32 (31) Plant stems not as above; leaves not reduced 33 
 
 17 
 
33 (32) Leaves in close tiers, oblong or oblong-ovate, not nar- 
 rowed at base, resembling a Chinese pagoda; plants 
 forming large compact clumps or cushions; plants of 
 
 the beach Arenaria peploides 
 
 var. robusta, Sandwort 
 
 Figure 34. — Apical portion of stem 
 and leaves XL 
 
 33 (32) Leaves not in close tiers; coarse strag- 
 gling weedy species, both somewhat gray 
 and scurfy, especially young leaves; op- 
 posite branching frequently only at base; 
 flowers greenish, both plants usually on 
 the beach Atriplex. . .A 
 
 A (33) Principal leaves hastate or ar- 
 row-shaped A. patula 
 
 var. hastata, Orach 
 
 A (33) Leaves broadly oval, stems 
 
 usually reddish A. arenaria, 
 
 Sand Orach 
 
 Figure 36.— Leaf XlYa. 
 
 Figure 35.— Leaf XL 
 
 34 (31) Leaves linear-lanceolate, alternate in a ro- 
 sette, erect or strongly ascending; flowers 
 from an erect spike from the rosette; plants 
 
 of the tidal marsh Plantago, Seaside Plantain. . .A 
 
 A (3Jf) Bracts or sepals or both mi- 
 nutely ciliate; flower spike 
 dense with flowers to base; 
 flower stalk exceeding leaves. 
 P. juncoides 
 
 A (34) Bracts and sepals glabrous; 
 flower spike remotely flow- 
 ered at base; leaves equaling Figure 37.- 
 or exceeding the erect flower 
 stalk P. oliganthos 
 
 - ( a ) Habit sketch ; 
 (b) terminal portion 
 of leaf X'/ 2 . 
 
 18 
 
34 (31) Leaves not in a rosette; variable shaped leaves on erect stems 35 
 
 35 (34) Leaves not entire 
 
 35 (3 A) Leaves entire, not toothed or lobed. 
 
 36 
 
 38 
 
 36 (35) Leaves covered with stiff 
 bristles, older leaves cordate, 
 slightly lobed with undulate 
 margins; fruit an olive-shaped 
 bur with recurved spines, 
 plants of beach and dunes. . . . 
 
 Xanthium echinatum, 
 
 Cocklebur 
 
 Figure 38.— Leaf XL 
 
 36 (35) Leaves smooth with no bristles, ovate lanceolate to obovate; pale green plants, 
 no burlike fruits 
 
 37 
 
 37 (36) Leaves serrate, ovate-lanceolate to 
 ovate or obovate, glabrous or sparingly 
 pubescent below; flat topped clusters 
 of many pink or purple flowers; plants 
 
 of the tidal marsh Pluchea purpurascens 
 
 var. succulenta, Salt Marsh Fleabane 
 
 Figure 39.— Leaf XL 
 
 37 (36) Leaves obovate or oblanceolate, 
 sinuate toothed, narrowed to base, 
 young leaves taste of horseradish; 
 fruit a cone-shaped silique; plants 
 
 of the beaches Cakile edentula, 
 
 Sea Rocket 
 
 Figure 40. — Leaves XI 
 
 19 
 
38 (35) Large coarse plants, basal leaves 
 oblanceolate to spatulate-oblong, 1-4 
 dm long; stem leaves to lanceolate; 
 panicles of yellow flowers late in the 
 summer; plants of beaches, dunes 
 
 and tidal marshes Solidago sempervirens, 
 
 Seaside Goldenrod 
 
 Figure 41. — Stem with leaf 
 and basal leaf X Vs ■ 
 
 38 (35) Smaller, more delicate plants; perennial; leaves narrow- 
 linear; branching subdichotomous; small pink flowers on 
 pedicels arising from axils of the upper leaves; plants of 
 
 the tidal marsh Aster tenuifolius, 
 
 Salt Marsh Aster 
 
 Figure 42. — Stem and leaves XL 
 
 Another species of the genus present in the area is an an- 
 nual; it has smaller (purple) flowers than A. tenuifolius. 
 
 .A. subulatus 
 
 39 (28) A coarse fern with tripinnate frond 
 from an underground creeping and fork- 
 ing rhizome; world wide, growing here 
 on older dunes and sea cliffs. .Pteridium aquilinum, 
 Bracken Fern 
 
 Figure 43. — Portion of frond 
 with pinnule X%. 
 
 39 (28) Plants not ferns 40 
 
 20 
 
40 (39) Plants with opposite leaves and branches 41 
 
 40 (39) Plants with alternate leaves and branches 49 
 
 41 (40) Low creeping plants growing flat on the substrate 42 
 
 41 (40) Erect plants, not flat on the substrate 43 
 
 42 (41) Spatulate-shaped leaves, usually in whorls at 
 the nodes; one-flowered pedicels form an 
 umbel at the nodes; plants usually weeds of 
 
 waste places but growing on the beach 
 
 Molluga verticillata, 
 
 Carpet Weed 
 
 Figure 44. — Stem and node with leaves 
 and flower umbel X2. 
 
 42 (41) Oblong linear to oblong lanceolate leaves two 
 at each node; milky juice; flowers in fork of 
 leaves; reddish color on leaves and stem; 
 
 plants of beach and the dune hollows 
 
 Euphorbia poly goni folia, 
 
 Seaside Spurge 
 
 Figure 45. — Stem and leaf nodes X2. 
 
 43 (41 ) Erect plants with a square stem 
 
 43 (41) Erect plants with a terete or flattish stem. 
 
 44 
 47 
 
 21 
 
44 (43) Leaves linear, entire, primary ones 1.5-3 cm 
 long, rough above, scattered short white 
 hairs; racemes 2-10 flowered, purple; fruit 
 a subglobose capsule, plants of wet areas 
 back of dunes and edges of the tidal marsh. 
 
 Gerardia maritima, 
 
 Seaside Gerardia 
 
 Figure 46. — Stem and node with leaves Xl% 
 
 44 (43) Leaves lanceolate 45 
 
 45 (44) Leaves entire, crowded on stem, cordate clasp- 
 ing at base; flowers regular in long terminal 
 racemes, magenta; plants of the freshwater 
 
 marsh border or brackish marsh Lythrum salicaria, 
 
 Spiked Loosestrife 
 
 Figure 47. — Stem and leaf XL 
 
 45 (M) Leaves not entire 46 
 
 46 (45) Leaves lanceolate to narrowly- 
 ovate, merely serrate on edges; 
 flowers purplish, irregular, deeply 
 cleft into two parts; in terminal 
 
 racemes Teucrium canadense, 
 
 Wood Sage 
 
 Figure 48.— Leaf XL 
 
 46 (45) Leaves broadly lanceolate to narrowly 
 ovate, serrate-dentate; flowers whitish, 
 small, regular in whorls at the nodes, plant 
 
 of dunes and marsh border Lycopus rubellus, 
 
 Bugle weed (look for other species) 
 
 Figure 49. — Leaf XL 
 
 22 
 
47 (A3) Low, weedy, much branched annuals with awl-shaped or linear leaves 48 
 
 47 (43) Larger erect plants with clasping linear stem leaves; 
 flowers in few clusters at tip of branches, petals ro- 
 seate; plants of upland border of marsh and dunes. 
 
 Dianthus 
 
 Deptford Pink 
 
 armeria, 
 
 Figure 50. — Stem and clasping 
 leaves XI- 
 
 Figure 51. — Stem 
 and leaves X3. 
 
 48 (-47) Leaves broad based tapering to a fine point (awl- 
 shaped), to 1 cm long, no stipules; flowers greenish, 
 sessile in fork of leaves ; on waste places, roadsides, 
 
 beaches Scleranthus annuus, 
 
 Knawel 
 
 48 (A7) Leaves filiform from base to tip, mostly longer 
 than 1 cm, large triangular stipules present; 
 flowers on pedicels to 10 mm long, from axils of 
 
 leaves Spergularia marina, 
 
 Sand Spurrey (S. rubra may also be found) 
 
 Figure 52. — Stems 
 and leaves X2. 
 
 23 
 
49 (40) Plants with compound leaves 50 
 
 49 (40) Plants with simple leaves 54 
 
 (Note: Be careful not to include here as compound, simple leaved plants with 
 deeply cut or filiform divisions; example, Yarrow, Figure 68.) 
 
 50 (49) Plants with pinnately compound leaves 51 
 
 50 (49) Plants with palmately compound, or trifoliate, leaves 52 
 
 51 (50) Leaves with large stipules at 
 nodal attachment to stem, fre- 
 quently a tendril replaces a leaf- 
 let; flowers pealike, purple or 
 rarely white; fruit a pod or le- 
 gume; plants of the dunes and 
 
 beach. Lathyrus japonicus, 
 
 Beach Pea 
 
 Figure 53. — Stem, stipules and leaf X %. 
 
 51 (50) Leaves from basal stem 
 or stolon, purplish at 
 base of leaf and flower 
 stems; leaves densely 
 whitish pubescent be- 
 low, dark green above; 
 flowers like a buttercup, 
 yellow; plants of upper 
 slope of tidal marsh. 
 
 Potentilla egedei 
 
 var. groenlandica, Sil- 
 ver Weed 
 
 Figure 54. — Compound leaf X%. 
 
 24 
 
Figure 55.— Leaf XI 
 
 52 (50) Five to eleven oblanceolate leaflets; 
 pealike purple flowers; fruit a pod 
 or legume; plants of dune border 
 
 or sea cliff Lupinus perennis, 
 
 Wild Lupine 
 
 52 (50) Plants with trifoliate leaves, each leaflet may be divided into three segments 53 
 
 53 (52) Plants 3-6 dm tall from a large root; 
 three leaflets, each of which is divided 
 into three segments (biternate); flow- 
 ers in umbels; fruit of two carpels, di- 
 viding down the middle when ripe; when 
 crushed faint parsleylike odor; plants 
 
 of beach and edge of tidal marsh 
 
 Ligusticum scothicum, 
 
 Scotch Lovage 
 
 Figure 56.— Leaf X%- 
 
 53 (52) Plants 2-3 ft tall, smooth and slender; three rounded, 
 wedge-obovate leaflets, almost sessile; flowers yel- 
 low, pealike; fruit a legume; plants turn black on 
 
 being dried ; back of dunes and on sea cliffs 
 
 Baptisia tinctoria, 
 
 Wild Indigo 
 
 Figure 57.— Leaf X2. 
 
 25 
 
54 (49) Plants twining or creeping over the 
 substrate or on other plants; leaves 
 cordate or deltoid-ovate, long peti- 
 oled; large funnel-shaped flowers, 
 white to roseate; plants of beaches 
 
 and waste places Convolvulus sepium, 
 
 Hedge Bindweed or Wild Morning 
 Glory 
 
 Figure 58.— Leaf XL 
 
 54 (A9) Plants not creeping 55 
 
 55 (54) Plants with cluster of basal leaves, erect flowering stalk that arises from basal 
 
 rosette 56 
 
 55 (54) Plants not as above. 
 
 60 
 
 56 (55) Rushlike slender leaves sheathing the base of a narrow and 
 jointless flower scape, up to 11.5 dm tall; fruit longer than thick; 
 
 plants of brackish and tidal marsh Triglochin maritima, 
 
 Arrow-Grass 
 
 Figure 59. — Habit sketch. 
 
 56 (55) Leaves not rushlike, broader, various shapes 57 
 
 26 
 
57 (56) Leaves hastate, two basel lobes some- 
 what divergent; flowering stem to 5 dm 
 high, slender, reddish raceme of flow- 
 ers, nodding on short stems (pedicels) ; 
 common weed of beach, dunes, and 
 
 waste places Rumex acetosella, 
 
 Sheep Sorrel 
 
 Figure 60.— Leaf XL 
 
 57 (56) Leaves not hastate, longer 58 
 
 58 (57) Caudex (a basal persistent 
 stem of an herb) woody and 
 thick, leaves spatulate, entire, 
 sometimes tinged with red at 
 the tips; flowers tiny, lavender 
 on a much branched leafless 
 stem (scape), panicled; plants 
 of tidal marsh and edge of the 
 
 dunes Limonium carolinianum, 
 
 Sea Lavender 
 
 Figure 61.— Leaf XYz. 
 
 A plant transitional to L. carolinianum, with a more compact flower panicle, 
 
 more common north of Cape Cod and northward L. nashii 
 
 58 (57) No distinct thick and woody caudex 59 
 
 59 (58) Leaves linear, pinnate, rough to the 
 touch with bristly hairs, main veins 
 whitish; flowers yellow, resembling 
 large dandelions at top of branched 
 stalks; fruits an achene with white 
 pappus (hairs) ; plants of sea cliffs 
 
 and waste places Hypochoeris radicata, 
 
 Cat's Ear 
 
 59 (58) Leaves spatulate, narrow to stem, 
 slightly undulate border, veins reddish; 
 flowers yellow, resembling small dande- 
 lions, in open clusters at top of an al- 
 most leafless stalk; fruit an achene 
 with pappus; plants of older dunes and 
 
 sea cliffs Hieracium venosum, 
 
 Hawkweed, Rattlesnake Weed 
 
 Figure 62.— Leaf XV2. 
 
 Figure 63.— Leaf X%. 
 
 27 
 
60 (55) Plants forming compact cushions 1.5-3 dm high on sand 
 dunes; somewhat woody at base; leaves tiny, scalelike, 
 closely imbricated (covering base of leaf above), pubes- 
 cent; flowers bright yellow, sessile; plants of secondary 
 
 dunes and hollows between dunes Hudsonia tomentosa, 
 
 Poverty Grass of Thoreau, Dune Heather 
 (H. ericoides on some dunes) 
 
 Figure 64. — Stem, leaves, 
 and flowers X2. 
 
 60 (55) Plants not forming compact hoary cushions on dunes 61 
 
 61 (60) Plants with simple lobed leaves 
 
 61 (60) Plants with simple leaves, not lobed, linear-lanceolate to deltoid (triangular) 
 
 62 
 69 
 
 62 (61) Plants with palmately lobed leaves, 
 broadly ovate, three-lobed, lower sur- 
 face covered with light pubescence; 
 stems woody with large pith (middle 
 one-half of stem) ; large pink flowers, 
 to 10 cm broad; fruit a capsule; plants 
 of brackish fringe of the tidal marsh. 
 
 Hibiscus palustris, 
 
 Marsh Mallow 
 
 Figure 65. — Leaf X %■ 
 
 62 (61) Plants with pinnately lobed leaves, not cut to the midrib 63 
 
 28 
 
63 (62) Plants with filiform (threadlike) segments of the leaf 64 
 
 63 (62) Plants with leaf broader, segments or lobes not threadlike 65 
 
 64 (63) Coarse plants of the dunes 
 with huge tap root; large 
 cluster of basal leaves with 
 filiform segments to 10 cm 
 long, with expanded petiole 
 at the nodal joint; leaves of 
 flower stem similar; large 
 panicle of green to bronze 
 flowers on stem arising from 
 
 base Artemisia caudata, 
 
 Wormwood 
 
 Figure 66— Leaf XL 
 
 64 (63) More delicate plants of marshes, with fi- 
 brous roots; stem branching subdichoto- 
 mous, leaves delicately filiform to 5 cm 
 long; flowers white, small, in terminal 
 
 umbels Ptilimnium capillaceum, 
 
 Mock Bishop's Weed 
 
 Figure 67. — Leaf with filiform divisions XL 
 
 65 (63) Leaves 2.5-15 cm long, bipinnately 
 parted into fine divisions like a fern 
 leaf, odor strong and disagreeable 
 when leaf is crushed; flowers white 
 (rarely pink) in flat topped crowd- 
 ed corymbs; common plant on 
 
 beaches and waste places 
 
 Achillea millefolium, Figure 68. — Leaf XL 
 
 Yarrow 
 
 65 (63) Leaves not as above 66 
 
 29 
 
66 (65) Plants covered with thick wooly hairs ; growing 
 from extensive creeping and forking rhizomes, 
 forming extensive clumps; leaves with broad 
 petioles, obovate, bluntly lobed; flowers on an 
 erect stem, yellow but not showy; plants of the 
 
 beaches and frontal dunes Artemisia stelleriana, 
 
 Silver King, Dusty Miller 
 
 Figure 69.— Leaf XV2. 
 
 66 (65) Plants not thickly covered with hairs; beaches and waste places 67 
 
 67 (66) Leaves pinnately lobed with soft 
 spiny teeth, clasping cordate base 
 with basal auricles, terminal half 
 of the leaf much larger than lat- 
 eral lobes; flowers yellow; fruit 
 an achene with a white pappus; 
 on beaches and waste places. . . . 
 
 Sonchus oleraceus, 
 
 Common Sow Thistle 
 
 Figure 70.— Stem and leaf X%. 
 
 67 (66) Leaves pinnately lobed without spiny teeth 68 
 
 68 (67) Leaves grayish-green, lower leaves 
 pinnate, upper leaves deeply pin- 
 nately lobed, toothed, fine hairs be- 
 neath, hairs thick along midrib; 
 saffron colored juice; yellow flow- 
 ers; capsules long and linear to 20 
 cm dividing into two halves when 
 ripe; plants of the beach. . . .Glaucium flavum, 
 Sea Poppy 
 
 Figure 71.— Leaf X %■ 
 
 30 
 
68 (67) Leaves grass-green or gray-green, 
 pinnate to tripinnately lobed, both 
 opposite and alternate, foliage re- 
 sembling that of Artemisia steller- 
 riana (Fig. 67) , but lacks the wooly 
 hairs; flowers in greenish terminal 
 clusters; upper beaches and waste 
 
 places Ambrosia artemisii folia, 
 
 Ragweed 
 
 Figure 72.— Leaf XL 
 
 69 (61) Leaves broad triangular to oval. 
 69 (61) Leaves linear or lanceolate 
 
 70 
 73 
 
 70 (69) Large vinelike plants with thorns; usually 
 creeping over other vegetation, may form im- 
 penetrable thickets; leaves ovate or oval with 
 three prominent main veins, tendrils at the base 
 of some leaves; flowers in loose umbels; berries 
 
 blue ; plants of old dunes and sea cliffs 
 
 Smilax rotundifolia, 
 
 Common Greenbriar (other species may be 
 found) 
 
 Figure 73. — Stem and leaf 
 
 xy 2 . 
 
 70 (69) Not vinelike, no thorns 71 
 
 71 (70) Plants with light green, ovate-deltoid, 
 serrate dentate or serrate leaves, very 
 mealy especially below; flowers green- 
 ish in paniculate spikes; long tap roots; 
 on beaches but a common weed of 
 
 waste places Chenopodium album, 
 
 Lamb's Quarters 
 
 Figure 74.— Leaf Xl%. 
 
 71 (70) Plants with darker green leaves, no mealy spots on leaves; flowers variable 72 
 
 31 
 
72 (71) Large coarse plants with thick spongy 
 stems; leaves large ovate to deltoid, 
 sinuate-toothed or angled; flowers 
 white, large and funnel-shaped; fruit 
 a prickly capsule; an ill-scented and 
 poisonous weed (but not to the 
 touch) ; upper beaches and on piles of 
 
 dead trash Datura stramonium, 
 
 Jimson Weed 
 
 Figure 75.— Leaf XYz 
 
 72 (71) Plants not as coarse, and stems firm; 
 
 leaves ovate, entire, or sinuate, and 
 
 acuminate at tips, without auricled or 
 
 lobed base; flowers in umbels, white; 
 
 berry black, poisonous in the unripe 
 
 condition; on beaches and dunes. 
 
 Solatium nigrum, 
 
 Black Nightshade 
 
 Figure 76a. — Leaf XI 
 
 A vinelike plant of the same 
 genus; leaves entire but au- 
 ricled or lobed at the base; flow- 
 ers in cymes, violet; berry red 
 
 and poisonous S. dulcamara. 
 
 Bittersweet, Nightshade 
 
 Figure 76b.— Leaf XL 
 
 73 (69) Leaves lanceolate, with 7-12 parallel veins; terminal 
 raceme of flowers; berries at first greenish, later 
 
 ruby- red; plants in the hollows of older dunes 
 
 Smilacina stellata, 
 
 False Solomon's Seal 
 
 Figure 77. — Stem and attached leaf XL 
 
 73 (69) Leaves not parallel veined 74 
 
 32 
 
74 (73) Leaves showing irregular serrations or slight undulating border, or even slight- 
 ly pinnatifid (pinnately cleft) 75 
 
 74 (73) Leaves entire 79 
 
 75 (74) Leaves long petioled, lanceolate to 
 lance-ovate, irregularly toothed; 
 terminal raceme of deep red flow- 
 ers; plants of the freshwater border 
 
 of tidal marshes Lobelia cardinalis, 
 
 Cardinal Flower 
 
 Figure 78.— Leaf X%. 
 
 75 (7A) Leaves not as above 76 
 
 76 (75) Stems with scattered silky hair or dense wooly hair 77 
 
 76 (75) Stems smooth, no hairs 78 
 
 Figure 79.— Stem and leaf X%. 
 
 77 (76) Stem with scattered silky hair; 
 leaves narrowly to broadly 
 lanceolate, border undulate, 
 crowded on stem, passing into 
 bracts below the flowers, short 
 appressed hairs more abundant 
 on under surface, leaves fre- 
 quently tipped with red; flowers 
 yellow opening late afternoon; 
 fruit a conical capsule to 3 cm 
 long, crowded on terminal por- 
 tion of stem; plants of beaches 
 
 and dunes Oenothera parviflora, 
 
 Evening-Primrose (other spe- 
 cies of genus may occur, 0. hum- 
 ifusa in New Jersey and Dela- 
 ware) 
 
 77 (76) Stems densely covered with white wooly hair, 
 leaves narrowly lanceolate, undulate borders, 
 sessile, dense wooly hair on the undersurface; 
 flowers in crowded terminal corymbs, pearly 
 white and drying like straw flowers ; plants of 
 
 back dunes and protected areas 
 
 Gnaphalium obtusifolium, 
 
 Common Everlasting, Cudweed 
 
 Figure 80. — Stem and leaves XL 
 
 33 
 
78 (76) Lower leaves long, petioled and 
 spatulate with pinnate serra- 
 tions, upper stem leaves sessile 
 and deeply p innately toothed; 
 flowers a daisy; plants of sea 
 cliffs and dunes (also roadsides, 
 
 etc.) Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, 
 
 Ox-Eye Daisy 
 
 Figure 81. — Leaves XI 
 
 78 (76) Lower leaves almost sessile, pinnately toothed, up- 
 per stem leaves linear; racemes of small white flow- 
 ers, followed by larger oval-shaped siliques; plants 
 
 of dunes and waste places Lepidium virginicum, 
 
 Peppergrass 
 
 Figure 82. — Siliques and leaf XI 
 
 79 (7Jt) Plants with conspicuous stipules at each node in form of a sheath (ocreae) sub- 
 tending the leaf 
 
 79 (7 A) Plants lacking conspicuous stipules at nodes. 
 
 80 
 81 
 
 80 (79) Stipules ending in points; leaves whitish gray 
 or green linear-oblong, rugose on upper sur- 
 face; flowers white; clusters growing from 
 stipules at nodes; fruit a lustrous black achene, 
 exserted from floral envelope; plants of sea 
 
 beaches and dune hollows Polygonum glaucum, 
 
 Seabeach Knotweed 
 
 Figure 83. — Stem and node with stipule 
 Leaf and flower X2%. 
 
 34 
 
80 (79) Stipules, tubular, truncate and clasping stem, giving 
 the appearance of a jointed stem; leaves linear-filiform; 
 flowers rose or white in slender terminal racemes; fruit 
 an achene; plants of the back dunes and cobble beaches. 
 
 Polygonella articulata, 
 
 Jointweed 
 
 Figure 84. — Stem, stipules 
 and leaves X4. 
 
 81 (79) Plants with many erect stems from a biennial or perennial woody tap root. 
 81 (79) Plants with a single or a few erect stems from a tap root or fibrous root. . . 
 
 82 
 83 
 
 82 (81) Very leafy stems from 1-4.5 dm high, smooth, 
 no pubescence; leaves obovate to elliptic and 
 only 2 cm long; loose terminal racemes 2-12 cm 
 long, rose-pink to rose-purple flowers, minute 
 cleistogamous (closed colorless, self fertile flow- 
 ers) flowers and capsules in one-seeded racemes 
 at base of plant after showy flowers ; plants of 
 sea cliffs and bask dunes. . . Poly gala polygama var. obtusa, 
 Milkwort 
 
 Figure 85. — (a) Stem and leaves; 
 
 (b) raceme and cleistogamous flowers X3. 
 
 82 (81) Leafy stems to 1 dm tall, densely covered with white 
 hairs; leaves lanceolate to elliptic, three to four 
 times as long as broad, whorled on stem or alternate 
 in flower panicle, starting about middle of stem ; old 
 flower stalks persisting into next year; plants of 
 
 dunes (Hudsonia zone) Lechea maritima, 
 
 Seaside Pinweed 
 
 Figure 86. — Stem and whorl of leaves XI- 
 
 35 
 
83 (81) Very slender annual or biennial with 
 trailing basal offshoots; narrowly linear 
 leaves, scattered widely on flowering 
 stalk; very loose raceme of blue-violet 
 flowers; fruit a capsule; a plant of late 
 spring and early summer and disappear- 
 ing after seeds are formed; plants of 
 older protected dunes, sometimes near 
 
 beaches and waste places Linaria canadensis, 
 
 Toadflax 
 
 Figure 87. — Stem and leaves X2 
 
 83 (81 ) Coarser plants without trailing basal shoots 84 
 
 84 (83) Erect plants, usually with a single hair- 
 less stem, branching above; leaves lin- 
 ear on main stem to 5 cm long, 2 cm long 
 on branches with a single vein; flowers 
 in flat topped corymbs, yellow; plants 
 of margins of brackish ponds and 
 
 marshes Solidago tenuifolia, 
 
 Goldenrod 
 
 A much coarser plant growing in the 
 same habitat; leaves lanceolate with 
 three to five veins; much branched cor- 
 ymbose flower heads S. graminifolia, 
 
 Grass Leaved Goldenrod 
 
 84 (83) Erect plants frequently with several 
 stems from base and the branching 
 lower on stem; linear leaves to 6 cm, 
 smaller leaves to 3 cm; flowers in 
 terminal clusters, yellow, resembling 
 an aster; plants of dunes frequently 
 in the Hudsonia zone (also sandy 
 
 roadsides) Chrysopsis falcata, 
 
 Golden Aster 
 
 Figure 88. — Stem and leaves XL 
 
 Figure 89. — Stem and leaves XL 
 
 36 
 
85 (27) Gramineae 
 
 The character illustrated for each of the common species of grasses is the ligule. This 
 is a membranous or hair structure found where the blade of the leaf joins the sheath 
 (see Plate I). The grasses are arranged below in their typical habitat: 
 
 I. Dunes 
 
 Ammophila breviligulata, Dune, Marram, or 
 Beach Grass 
 
 A very coarse grass characteristic of frontal 
 dunes and hollows. It also occurs at edge of 
 and on the eroded portions of sea cliffs and on 
 beaches. Ligule membranous to 3 mm long. 
 Flowering spike linear, cylindric and completely 
 covered with flowers. 
 
 Figure 90. — Ligule X4. 
 
 Festuca rubra, Red Fescue Grass 
 
 A less coarse grass of the back dunes, sometimes 
 scattered in the Ammophila zone. Sheath brownish 
 and blades stiff and setaceous, ligule membranous. 
 Growing from a creeping rootstock. Less frequent 
 in tidal marsh, in Spartina patens and Juncus gerardi 
 zones. Flowers in a loose panicle. 
 
 Deschampia flexuosa, Common Hairgrass 
 
 Numerous inward rolled threadlike basal leaves 5-20 cm 
 long, 0.4 mm wide; stem slender and nearly naked of 
 leaves; ligule membranous, 2 mm; flower panicle very 
 loose, nodding with pedicels blackish and threadlike. 
 Plants of the hollow of dunes and top of sea cliffs. 
 
 Figure 91.— Ligule X10 
 
 Figure 92.— Ligule X15. 
 
 37 
 
II. Tidal marsh 
 
 Spartina alterniflora, Salt Marsh Cord 
 Grass 
 
 A large coarse grass found at the margin 
 of tidal marshes and along all creeks and 
 pools in the marsh. Ligule a fringe of 
 hairs, base fused and membranous. Blade 
 of 18 mm wide. A dwarf form occurs in 
 the lower portion of the S. patens zone. 
 Growing from a rhizome covered with 
 white papery scales; flowers in comblike 
 cluster, tight against the stem. 
 
 Figure 93.— Ligule X4. 
 
 Spartina patens, Salt Marsh Hay 
 
 A slender grass forming almost pure stands 
 on lower slope of the marsh, also on sea 
 beaches. In late summer and fall the growth 
 habit shows a "cowlick" formation. Basal 
 leaves filiform (threadlike) , upper leaves to 
 1 dm long, ligule a fringe of hairs ; flower 
 two or more comblike spikes forming an 
 open panicle, purplish, flowers unilateral 
 on spike. 
 
 Figure 94. — Ligule X4. 
 
 Spartina pectinata, Fresh Water Cord Grass 
 
 A tall coarse grass found growing around the 
 upland edge of the tidal marsh and on upper 
 reaches of the creeks in low salinity. Leaf 
 margins and glume keel strongly scabrous, harsh 
 to run finger down edge. Growth from a large 
 scaly rhizome. Ligule a fringe of hairs to 2 mm 
 long; blade 6-10 mm wide. Flower stalks with 
 many panicles of comblike spikes, long awns 
 on flowers of spikes. 
 
 Figure 95.— Ligule X3. 
 
 38 
 
Phragmites communis, Reed Grass 
 
 Large erect grass to 6 m tall, from long creep- 
 ing rhizomes; ligule a fringe of hairs, some to 
 6 mm long. Exceedingly feathery flower panicle 
 with long silky hair, tawny or purplish in color, 
 grass of brackish to fresh water areas of marsh, 
 sometimes on low dunes. 
 
 Figure 96. — Ligule XVa- 
 
 Distichlis spicata, Spike Grass 
 
 Grass of the Spartina patens zone, sometimes 
 in pure stands. Leaves 2-3 mm wide and a 
 compact, subcylindrical panicle of flowers, dis- 
 tinct from the Spartina spike. Ligule mem- 
 branous. Creeping rhizome frequently invades 
 bare areas. 
 
 Figure 97. — Ligule X4. 
 
 Agrostis alba var. palustris, Redtop Grass 
 
 Delicate grass scattered in Spartina patens zone. 
 Densely matted, partly decumbent. Creeping 
 rhizome. Blade of leaf 4-10 mm wide, ligule mem- 
 branous to 3-7 mm long. Panicle of flowers 
 purplish-bronze, becomes whitish in fruit. 
 
 Figure 98.— Ligule X5. 
 
 Elymus virginicus var. halophilus, Terrell Grass 
 
 Erect stiff grass of the upland edge of tidal marsh 
 or between it and beach or dunes. Blade of leaf 
 5-14 mm wide, ligule membranous. Flowering spike 
 resembles wheat but seems two-ranked and flat. 
 
 Figure 99. — Ligule X4. 
 
 39 
 
Panicum virgatum, Switch Grass 
 
 Large coarse grass in thick hummocks or tus- 
 socks. Blade 10-15 mm wide, ligule a fringe of 
 hairs. Loose widely spreading flower panicle. 
 Grass in the transition zone of the marsh border, 
 sometimes at the edge of beaches and dunes. 
 
 Figure 100. — Ligule X2. 
 
 III. Beach 
 
 Bromus tectorum, Cheat 
 
 An annual grass, growing early in the season 
 and becoming brown and dead by midsummer. 
 Blade 5-8 mm wide, ligule membranous 1.5-3 mm 
 long, rounded to acute. Very loose panicle, re- 
 curving flexuous branches with long awns 
 (bristles) resembling oats, often purple in color. 
 
 Figure 101.— Ligule X2. 
 
 86 (27) Cyperaceae 
 
 I. Dunes 
 
 Cyperus grayii, Gray's Sedge 
 
 Rhizomes with hard cormlike swollen branches; stems wiry, filiform, leaves gray- 
 green to 3 dm tall; flowers in nearly spherical heads on 3-14 stiff capillary smooth 
 stems forming an umbel; in sandy hollows of dunes. It is suggested that a more 
 inclusive manual be referred to for verification. 
 
 Cyperus spp. 
 
 Other species of Cyperus may occur in the dunes or at the edge of dunes, 
 fication should be made by the use of one of the manuals (Fernald, 1950; 
 and Cronquist, 1963) or referred to a botanical taxonomist. 
 
 Identi- 
 Gleason 
 
 40 
 
II. Tidal marsh 
 
 Scirpus americanus, Three-Square Rush 
 
 Rhizomes stout and hard, dark brown; upper sheath concave, but not 
 notched, bearing an elongate, linear, sharp, pointed blade; spikelets 
 many in sessile clusters, reddish-brown; involucre appears to be con- 
 tinuation of stem, long to 15 cm, acute ; plants of brackish to fresh- 
 water borders of marshes, usually in almost pure stands. 
 
 Figure 102, 
 
 -Stem, flower cluster 
 and involucre X2. 
 
 Scirpus paludosus var. atlanticus, Bayonet Grass 
 
 Growing from a cormlike enlargement of the rhizome; stems 
 three-angled; leaves borne chiefly or wholly below the middle of 
 the stem; two or three involucral bracts; in borders of brackish 
 ponds and on tidal marshes. 
 
 Figure 103.— Habit sketch X 
 
 Ho. 
 
 Scirpus torreyi, Torrey's Rush 
 
 Rhizome flaccid, brownish; upper sheath readily splitting, leaves triangular chan- 
 neled with obliquely rounded tips; spikelets in sessile clusters, oblong-lanceolate, 
 reddish-brown; involucre appears to be continuation of stem; 3-5 cm long; plants 
 along brackish to freshwater margins of ponds and marshes. 
 
 41 
 
Eleocharis spp., Spike Rush 
 
 Thin wiry stems forming tufted clusters from a creeping rhizome, leafless, 
 but basal part of stem sheathed ; many of the stems topped with a conelike 
 brown or reddish-brown flower spikelet; wet margins of brackish ponds and 
 marshes. Several species, but identification cannot be made until fruits 
 (achenes) are ripe. For species identification reference should be made to 
 one or other of the manuals suggested. 
 
 Figure 104. — Stem and flower spikelets X3. 
 
 Eleocharis parvula 
 
 A small spike rush, 1-7 cm high, growing in muddy areas 
 of tidal marshes and on wet saline or brackish shores. Plants 
 tufted with threadlike leaves, shallow fibrous roots. 
 
 Figure 105.— Habit sketch XL 
 
 87 (27) Juncaceae 
 
 I. Tidal Marsh 
 
 Juncus gerardi, Black Grass 
 
 Wiry erect herbs resembling grasses or rushes, from slender rhi- 
 zomes growing horizontally in the marsh; leaf sheath extending 
 about one-third of the way up the stem, leaf blade stiff, ascending 
 scarcely flattened; stem ends in a cyme of brown flowers (see Fig. 
 106) ; achenes protruding from floral envelope in late summer giv- 
 ing a dark brown aspect to the marsh zone; almost pure stands 
 growing at the upper, landward edge of the tidal marsh. 
 
 Figure 106. — Flower cyme XL 
 
 42 
 
Juncus balticus 
 
 Erect herbs with slender cylindrical stems; basal 
 leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths; rhizomes firm, 
 extensively forked; along brackish shores and mar- 
 gins of tidal marshes. 
 
 Figure 107. — (a) Habit sketch; 
 (b) sheathing basal 
 leaves X Ho. 
 
 a 
 
 II. Dunes 
 
 Juncus spp. 
 
 Species of Juncus occur in the hollow of the dunes. Two species that are found are: 
 J. greenei with flowers in loose cymes and resembles J. gerardi, and J. canadensis 
 with flowers in subglobose clusters in a compound cyme. For identification of these, 
 refer to one of the manuals or submit the specimen to a botanical taxonomist. 
 
 43 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS BY 
 HABITATS 
 
 Vegetation of Beaches 
 
 Higher plants are confined to the extreme up- 
 per level of beaches. They grow in the sand, 
 at the base of dunes or moraines, among cobbles 
 and boulders or in the mass of plant debris de- 
 posited by storms. Only about 11 species of 
 plants are regularly abundant in this extreme 
 environment in southern New England. Many 
 of them are quite succulent, which is a common 
 characteristic of halophilic plants as well as 
 plants that grow in deserts. A tension zone ex- 
 ists between the beach and the uplands where 
 many common weedy plants will occur tempo- 
 rarily. The more common of these accidentals 
 have also been included in key (Figure numbers 
 refer to illustrations in the key) . 
 
 1. Dominant beach plants: 
 
 Cakile edentula (Bigel.) Hook., Sea 
 Rocket 
 Fig. 40. Southern Labrador to South 
 Carolina. Young tender leaves are good 
 as a green. Horseradish flavor. 
 
 Arenaria peploides L. var. robusta Fern., 
 Sea Purslane 
 Fig. 34. Circumpolar species. Quebec 
 to Maryland. (Arctic coast has other 
 varieties. Seen on Hudson Bay.) 
 
 Salsola kali L., Saltwort 
 
 Fig. 29. Southern Labrador to Georgia. 
 Variety caroliniana (Walt.) Nutt. also 
 occurs Massachusetts to Florida. 
 
 Artemisia stelleriana Bess., Dusty 
 Miller, Silver King 
 Fig. 69. Gulf of St. Lawrence to Vir- 
 ginia. 
 
 Lathy rus japonicus Willd., Beach Pea 
 Fig. 53. Circumpolar species. The va- 
 rieties extend from Hudson Bay to New 
 Jersey. White variety rare. 
 
 Polygonum glaucum Nutt., Seabeach 
 Knotweed 
 Fig. 83. Massachusetts to Georgia. 
 
 Atriplex patula L. var. hastata (L.) Gray, 
 Orach 
 Fig. 35. Newfoundland south to South 
 Carolina. Tender leaves can be used as 
 a salad. 
 
 Atriplex arenaria Nutt., Seabeach Orach 
 Fig. 36. Southern New Hampshire to 
 Texas. Tender leaves can be used as a 
 salad. 
 
 Solidago sempervirens L., Seaside 
 Goldenrod 
 
 Fig. 41. Newfoundland, Quebec to New 
 Jersey, locally to Virginia. Other va- 
 ieties to Florida, Texas, and Mexico. 
 
 Xanthium echinatum Murr., Cockle- 
 
 bur, Sea Burdock 
 Fig. 38. Nova Scotia to Virginia. 
 
 Euphorbia polygonifolia L., Seaside 
 Spurge 
 Fig. 45. Prince Edward Island, east 
 New Brunswick to Georgia. 
 
 Rare beach plants: 
 
 Ligusticum scothicum L., Scotch 
 Lovage 
 Fig. 56. Greenland and Labrador to 
 southern New York. 
 Glaucium flavum Crantz., Horn or Sea 
 Poppy 
 Fig. 71. Southeastern Massachusetts 
 and eastern Rhode Island south to Vir- 
 ginia. 
 
 Plants found growing on beaches, but not 
 restricted to this habitat (many weed spe- 
 cies) : 
 
 Chenopodium album L., Pigweed or 
 Lamb's Quarters 
 Fig. 74. Cosmopolitan. Widespread 
 along coast. 
 Oenothera parviflora L. var. oakesiana 
 (Gates) Wieg., Small Flowering 
 Evening-Primrose 
 Fig. 79. Plymouth County, Mass., to 
 Northampton County, Va. Look for O. 
 humifusa Nutt. from New Jersey to 
 Florida. 0. biennis may also occur, as 
 it is widely distributed. 
 Convolvulus sepium L., Wild Morning 
 Glory 
 Fig. 58. Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Texas. 
 Achillea millefolium L., Yarrow 
 Fig. 68. Cosmopolitan. Widely distrib- 
 uted. The crushed leaves have a strong 
 disagreeable odor. If eaten by cattle 
 
 44 
 
can cause odor and taste in milk and 
 milk products. 
 
 Parthenocissus quinque folia (L.) Planch., 
 Virginia Creeper or Woodbine 
 Fig*. 4. Southeastern Maine to Florida 
 and Texas. 
 
 Polygonella articulata (L.) Meisn., 
 Jointweed 
 Fig. 84. Maine to North Carolina. 
 
 Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ragweed 
 Fig. 72. Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Texas. A pernicious weed. One of the 
 causes of hay fever in the late summer. 
 
 Myrica pensylvanica Loisel., Bayberry 
 Fig. 19. Southern Newfoundland, east- 
 ern New Brunswick to North Carolina. 
 Wax from the berries used formerly for 
 candles. 
 
 Scleranthus annuus L., Knawel 
 
 Fig. 51. Prince Edward Island south 
 to Florida. 
 
 Datura stramonium L., Jimson Weed 
 Fig. 75. Massachusetts to Pennsylva- 
 nia. Locally northward and southward. 
 A subcosmopolitan weed from South 
 America, ill scented and poisonous. 
 Frequently growing on plant debris on 
 beaches. 
 
 Molluga verticillata L., Carpet Weed 
 Fig. 44. Nova Scotia, Quebec, south to 
 Florida and Texas. 
 
 Linaria canadensis (L.) Dumont. Old 
 Field Toadflax 
 Fig. 87. With the variety from Nova 
 Scotia to Florida and Texas. 
 
 Rumex acetosella L., Sheep Sorrel 
 Fig. 60. Ubiquitous weed of worn out 
 soils. Quebec to Virginia. 
 
 Sonchus oleraceus L., Common Sow 
 Thistle 
 Fig. 70. Newfoundland and southward 
 to Florida. 
 
 Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl., Salt 
 Marsh Hay 
 Fig. 94. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 
 Ammophila breviligulata Fern., Beach 
 or Marram Grass 
 Fig. 90. Newfoundland and southern 
 Labrador to North Carolina. Planted 
 to hold dunes and beaches. 
 
 Bromus tectorum L., Cheat 
 
 Fig. 101. Southern Quebec to Virginia. 
 
 Elymus virginicus L. var. halophilus 
 (Bickn.) Wieg., Terrell Grass 
 Fig. 99. Nova Scotia to Virginia. 
 Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumont., Sea 
 Blite 
 Fig. 30. Quebec to Virginia. 
 Suaeda linearis (Ell.) Moq., Sea Blite 
 Southern Maine to Florida and Texas. 
 Solanum nigrum L., Black Nightshade 
 
 Fig. 76a. Nova Scotia to Florida. 
 Solanum dulcamara L., Bittersweet, 
 Nightshade 
 Fig. 76b. Newfoundland to Delaware. 
 
 Vegetation of Dunes 
 
 The dominant plants of sand dunes are listed 
 below. Plants not restricted to dunes, but oc- 
 curring there have been included. Some rare 
 plants or accidentals are probably omitted. The 
 zone number or numbers listed with each plant 
 indicate the area of the dunes where these plants 
 can generally be found (Fig. 108). The num- 
 ber of species increases from Zone I to Zone VI 
 (Figure numbers refer to the key). 
 
 Dune 
 front 
 
 Zone I. From the beach to the top of the dune. Precipitous slope; fre- 
 
 quently undercut by wave action. 
 
 Zone II. Crest of the primary dune. Exposed to effects of salt spray. 
 
 Zone III. Back slope of the dune protected from salt spray. 
 
 Zone IV. Hollow. Sandy with scattered vegetation; sometimes a small 
 marsh or acid bog present; thickets of shrubs, usually ui iso- 
 lated stands, on mounds of accumulated sand. 
 
 Zone V. Secondary dune. The vegetation on the top may show the effects 
 of salt spray. The back part of this dune may support a 
 unique dune forest. In some cases the secondary dune is 
 absent. 
 
 Zone VI. The transition zone to forest, tidal marsh, or a brackish pond. 
 This zone may be found directly back of the front dune if 
 the secondary system is missing. 
 
 Figure 108. — Distributional zones where the dominate 
 plants of the sand dunes are generally found. 
 
 1. Dominant grass of the dunes: 
 
 Ammophila breviligulata Fern., Beach 
 or Marram Grass 
 Fig. 90. Newfoundland and southern 
 Labrador to North Carolina. Found in 
 all Zones from I to VI, but becoming 
 less frequent from III to VI. The grass 
 
 45 
 
is planted to stabilize dunes. Replaced 
 by Uniola paniculata from Virginia 
 south. 
 
 2. Important plants associated with Ammo- 
 phila: 
 
 a. Herbaceous plants: 
 
 Artemisia stelleriana Bess., Dusty 
 
 Miller or Silver King 
 Fig. 69. Gulf of St. Lawrence to 
 Virginia. Zones I, II, III. 
 Lathyrus japonicus Willd., Beach 
 
 Pea 
 Fig. 53. Circumpolar species. The 
 varieties extend from Hudson Bay 
 to New Jersey. White variety rare. 
 Zones II, III, IV. 
 Solidago sempervirens L., Seaside 
 
 Goldenrod 
 Fig. 41. Newfoundland, Quebec to 
 New Jersey, locally to Virginia. 
 Other varieties to Florida, Texas, 
 and Mexico. Zones II, III, IV, 
 V. 
 Hudsonia tomentosa Nutt., Beach 
 
 Heather, Poverty Grass 
 Fig. 18. Gaspe Peninsula to North 
 Carolina. Thoreau's poverty grass. 
 H. ericoides may occur on the dunes. 
 More usual in interior pine barrens. 
 Zones III, IV, V, VI. 
 Xanthium echinatum Murr., 
 
 Cocklebur, Sea Burdock 
 Fig. 38. Nova Scotia to Virginia. 
 Zones II, III, IV, V. 
 Lechea maritima Leggett., Seaside 
 
 Pinweed 
 Fig. 86. Southern Maine to east 
 Virginia. 
 
 b. Shrubby species: 
 
 Prunus maritima Marsh., Beach 
 
 Plum 
 Fig. 15. Knox County, Maine, to 
 Delaware. Fruit used for jelly. 
 Zones II, III, IV, V, VI. 
 
 Rhus radicans L., Poison Ivy 
 Fig. 3. Nova Scotia to Florida and 
 Texas. Poisonous to touch, many 
 people sensitive. Zones III, IV, V, 
 VI. 
 
 Myrica pensylvanica Loisel., Bay- 
 berry 
 Fig. 19. South Newfoundland, east 
 New Brunswick to North Carolina. 
 Wax from the berries formerly used 
 for candles. Zones III, IV, V, VI. 
 Rosa rugosa Thunb., Salt-Spray 
 Rose 
 Fig. 6. Nova Scotia to Delaware. 
 Zones II, III, IV, V, VI. 
 Quercus ilicifolia Mang., Scrub or 
 Holly Oak 
 Fig. 12. Maine to North Carolina. 
 The oak of the pine barrens of New 
 Jersey. Zones IV, VI. 
 Juniperus virginiana L., Red 
 Cedar, Juniper 
 Fig. 2. Southeastern New England 
 to Florida and Texas. Zones III, 
 IV, VI. 
 Baccharis halmifolia L., Sea 
 Myrtle, Groundsel Tree 
 Fig. 9. Massachusetts to Florida 
 and Texas. Sexes separate ; in the 
 fall the female shrub has cottony 
 tipped seeds. Zones IV, VI. 
 
 3. Additional characteristic plants growing 
 in areas protected from wind and salt 
 spray: 
 
 Festuca rubra L., Red Fescue Grass 
 Fig. 91. Greenland, Labrador to North 
 Carolina. (Many varieties.) Zones 
 III, IV, VI. 
 
 Artemisia caudata Michx., Wormwood. 
 Fig. 66. Southern Maine to Florida and 
 Texas. Zones III, IV, V. 
 
 Euphorbia polygonifolia L., Seaside 
 Spurge 
 Fig. 45. Prince Edward Island, east 
 New Brunswick to Georgia. 
 
 Atriplex arenaria Nutt., Seabeach Orach 
 Fig. 36. Southern New Hampshire to 
 Texas. Young leaves are useful in sal- 
 ads, or cooked as greens. Zones I, II, 
 III. 
 
 4. Plants not exclusively dune plants, but grow- 
 ing in protected areas: 
 
 Linaria canadensis (L.) Dumont., Old 
 Field Toadflax 
 Fig. 87. With the varieties from Nova 
 
 46 
 
5. 
 
 Scotia to Florida and Texas. Zones III, 
 IV, VI. 
 Smilacina stellata (L.) Desf., False 
 Solomon's Seal 
 Fig. 77. Southeastern Labrador to New 
 Jersey. Zone VI. 
 Juncus canadensis J. Gay. Canadian 
 Rush. 
 Maine to Georgia. Zone IV, possibly 
 VI. 
 Juncus greenei Oakes & Tuckerm., 
 Torrey's Rush 
 Nova Scotia to New Jersey. Zone IV, 
 possibly VI. 
 Cyperus grayii Torr., Gray's Sedge 
 
 Massachusetts to Florida. Zone IV, 
 possibly VI. 
 Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin., 
 Common Hairgrass 
 Fig. 92. Southern Labrador to North 
 Carolina. Zone VI. 
 Rumex acetosella L., Sheep Sorrel 
 Fig. 60. Ubiquitous weed of worn-out 
 soils. Quebec to Virginia. Zones IV, 
 VI. 
 Lepidium virginicum (L.) R. Br., 
 Peppergrass 
 Fig. 82. Widespread weed. Natural- 
 ized from Europe. 
 Chrysopsis falcata (Pursh.) El., 
 Golden Aster 
 Fig. 89. Southeastern Massachusetts 
 to New Jersey. Zones III, IV, V, VI. 
 Parthenocissus quinque folia (L.) Planch., 
 Virginia Creeper 
 Fig. 4. Southern Maine to Florida and 
 Texas. Zones III, IV, V, VI. 
 
 Cryptogams of the dunes: 
 
 Geaster spp., Earth Stars 
 
 Massachusetts; Delaware. Bare sandy 
 areas. Zones IV, VI. 
 
 Cladonia spp., Lichens 
 
 Widely distributed. Several species of 
 Cladonia may occur between vegetation 
 on bare areas. Zones II, III, IV, V, VI. 
 
 Usnea barbata, Old Man's Beard 
 Maine; Massachusetts. On beach blum 
 and bayberry twigs. Zones II, III, IV, 
 VI. 
 
 Aulacomnium palustre Schwaegr., 
 Moss 
 Eastern North America. In wet hol- 
 lows. Zones IV, VI. 
 Ceratodon purpureus (L.) Brid., 
 Moss 
 Drier sites. One of the few mosses that 
 grows regularly near the shore. Zones 
 III, IV, VI. 
 Polytrichum piliferum Schreb., Hairy 
 Cap Moss 
 Drier sites in hollows. Edges of bogs. 
 P. commune may also occur at edge of 
 bogs. Zones IV, VI. 
 Sphagnum spp., Sphagnum or Peat 
 Moss 
 Cosmopolitan species. May form dom- 
 inant plant in boggy areas in some hol- 
 lows of dunes. Zones IV, VI. 
 
 6. Plants of the transition zone: 
 
 a. Dune forest to uplands: 
 
 i. Trees and shrubs: 
 
 Pinus rigida Mill., Pitch Pine 
 Fig. 1. Maine to Virginia. 
 Sometimes Zone IV. Zone VI. 
 Prunus serotina Ehrh., Black 
 Cherry 
 Fig. 16. Nova Scotia to Florida 
 and Texas. Zones IV, V, VI. 
 Nyssa sylvatica Marsh., Sour 
 Gum 
 Fig. 14. Maine to Florida and 
 Texas. Zones V, VI. 
 Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees., 
 Sassafras 
 Fig. 10. Southern Maine to 
 Virginia. Zones IV, V, VI. 
 Rhus copallina L., Dwarf or 
 Shining Sumac 
 Fig. 5. Southern Maine to Flor- 
 ida and Texas. Zones IV, V, VI. 
 Ilex opaca Ait., American Holly 
 Fig. 11. Eastern Massachu- 
 setts to Florida and Texas. 
 Zones V, VI. 
 Amelanchier laevis Wieg., 
 Shadbush 
 Fig. 17. Newfoundland to 
 Georgia. Species of Amelanch- 
 ier hybridize readily and there 
 
 47 
 
may be great variation. Other 
 species of the genus may be 
 present. Zones V, VI. 
 
 Populus tremuloides Michx., 
 Quaking Aspen 
 Fig. 13. Labrador to Virginia. 
 Zone VI. 
 
 Spiraea alba DuRoi., Meadow- 
 sweet 
 Fig. 24. Quebec to Delaware. 
 Bog hollows. Zones IV, VI. 
 
 Spiraea tomentosa L., Hard- 
 hack, Steeplebush 
 Fig. 25. Prince Edward Island 
 to North Carolina. S. latifolia 
 may also occur. In the key it 
 precedes Figure 24. In bog hol- 
 lows. Zones IV, VI. 
 
 ii. Herbaceous plants: 
 
 Panicam virgatum L., Switch 
 Grass 
 Fig. 100. Maine to Florida and 
 Mississippi. P. longifolium 
 grows in the same habitat, more 
 southerly in distribution, occurs 
 in southeastern Massachusetts. 
 Zone VI. 
 Polygon ella articulata (L.) 
 Meisn., Jointweed 
 Fig. 84. Maine to North Car- 
 olina. 
 Gerardia maritima Raf., Sea- 
 side Gerardia 
 Fig. 46. Yarmouth County, 
 Nova Scotia, to North Carolina. 
 Zone VI. 
 Rosa palustris L., Swamp Rose 
 Fig. 7. Nova Scotia to Florida. 
 R. Carolina may also occur, less 
 common. Zone VI. 
 Oenothera parviflora L. var. 
 oakesiana (Gates) Wieg., 
 Small Flowering Evening- 
 Primrose. 
 Fig. 79. Plymouth County, 
 Mass., to Northampton County, 
 Va. Look for 0. humifusa Nutt. 
 from New Jersey to Florida. 
 0. biennis may also occur, as it 
 is widely distributed. 
 
 Ambrosia artemisii folium L., 
 Ragweed 
 Fig. 72. Newfoundland to Flor- 
 ida and Texas. A pernicious 
 weed. One of the causes of hay 
 fever in the late summer. Zone 
 VI-. 
 Lycopus rubellus Moench., 
 Bugleweed 
 Fig. 49. Southern New Eng- 
 land to Florida and Texas. 
 Other species of the genus may 
 be present. Zone VI. 
 Polygala palygama Walt. var. 
 obtusa Chodat., Milkwort 
 Fig. 85. Nova Scotia to Florida 
 and Texas. Zone VI. 
 Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn., 
 Bracken Fern 
 Fig. 43. Cosmopolitan plant. 
 Newfoundland to North Caro- 
 lina. Zone VI. 
 Chrysanthemum leucanthemum 
 L., Ox-Eye Daisy 
 Fig. 81. Labrador to Florida. 
 Several varieties. A common 
 but attractive weed. Zone VI. 
 Gnaphalium obtusifolium L., 
 Cudweed, Common Ever- 
 lasting 
 Fig. 80. Prince Edward Island 
 to Florida and Texas. Zone VI. 
 
 Transition to tidal marsh: 
 
 Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl., Salt 
 Marsh Hay 
 Fig. 94. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 Zone VI. 
 Atriplex arenaria Nutt., Seabeach 
 Orach 
 Fig. 36. New Hampshire to Texas. 
 Zone VI. 
 Limonium carolinianum (Walt.) 
 Britt., Sea Lavender 
 Fig. 61. Newfoundland to Florida 
 and Mississippi. Flower panicles 
 can be dried for winter bouquets. 
 North of Cape Cod L. nashii is more 
 common. Zone VI. 
 Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb., 
 Sand Spurrey 
 Fig. 52. Quebec and south along 
 
 48 
 
coast to Florida. S. canadensis may 
 also occur. S. diandra is reported 
 only from shores of Buzzards Bay, 
 Mass. Zone VI. 
 
 Salsola kali L., Saltwort 
 
 Fig. 29. Southern Labrador to 
 Georgia. Variety caroliniana 
 (Walt.) Nutt. also occurs Massa- 
 chusetts to Florida. Zone VI. 
 
 Ly thrum salicaria L., Spiked 
 Loosestrife 
 Fig. 47. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 Zone VI. 
 
 Phragmites communis Trin., Reed 
 Grass 
 Fig. 96. Eurasia and with its va- 
 rieties nearly cosmopolitan. Zone 
 VI. 
 
 c. Transition to the brackish pond: 
 
 Pluchea purpurascens (Sw.) D. C. 
 var. succulenta Fern., Salt 
 Marsh Fleabane. 
 Fig. 39. Southern Maine to Flori- 
 da. P. camphorata from Delaware 
 south to Texas. 
 
 Cyperus odoratus L., Fragrant 
 Sedge 
 Massachusetts to tropical America. 
 Zone VI. 
 
 Cyperus rivularis Kunth., Sedge 
 Maine to Georgia. Zone VI. 
 
 Eleocharis spp., Sedge 
 
 Fig. 104. Mature seeds must be 
 available to identify the species. 
 It is suggested that references be 
 consulted for complete identifica- 
 tion. Zone VI. 
 
 Eleocharis parvula (R. & S.) Link. 
 Fig. 105. Newfoundland to Louisi- 
 ana. Zone VI. 
 
 Ptilimnium capillaceum (Michx.) 
 Raf., Mock Bishop's Weed. 
 Fig. 67. Southern New England to 
 Florida and Texas. Zone VI. 
 
 Solidago tenuifolia Pursh., Golden- 
 rod 
 Fig. 88. Nova Scotia south to Vir- 
 ginia. S. graminifolia (L.) Salisb. 
 also found growing here. Quebec 
 south to North Carolina. Zone VI. 
 
 7. Acid bogs in dune hollows (found at Chap- 
 paquoit Beach, Provincetown, and Monomoy 
 Island) . Plants in the Gray Museum, Ma- 
 rine Biological Laboratory, are in the collec- 
 tion from Monomoy Island. 
 
 a. Dominant plants: 
 
 Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., 
 Cranberry 
 Newfoundland to North Carolina. 
 The small cranberry, V. oxycoccus, 
 may also occur. 
 Sphagnum palustre L., Sphagnum 
 or Peat Moss 
 Circumpolar, south into New Jer- 
 sey. Other species of Sphagnum 
 may be present. 
 Lycopodium inundatum L., Bog 
 Club-Moss 
 Typical form and its varieties ex- 
 tend from Newfoundland to Florida 
 and Texas. 
 Drosera rotundi folia L., Round- 
 Leaved Sundew 
 Labrador to Florida. D. intermedia 
 Hayne, the intermediate leaved spe- 
 cies may also occur. 
 
 b. Less common plants: 
 
 Viola lanceolata L., Lance-Leaved 
 Violet 
 New Brunswick to Florida. 
 Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker., 
 Pogonia Orchid 
 Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Texas. 
 Calopogon pulchellus (Sal.) R. Br., 
 Grass Pink 
 Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Texas. 
 Spiraea tomentosa L., Hardhack, 
 Steeplebush 
 Fig. 25. Prince Edward Island to 
 North Carolina. S. alba and S. lat- 
 ifolia may also occur. See dune 
 forests. Usually on the edge of the 
 bog. 
 Polytrichum commune L., Hairy 
 
 Cap Moss 
 Cosmopolitan. Edge of the bog. 
 
 49 
 
Onoclea sensibilis L., Sensitive 
 Fern 
 Southern Labrador to Florida and 
 Texas. Sensitive to frost. 
 
 8. Sea cliffs (vegetation of the top of the cliffs 
 along the eastern shore of Cape Cod. These 
 are moraines) : 
 
 a. Trees: 
 
 Juniperus virginiana L., Red 
 Cedar, Juniper 
 Fig. 2. Southeastern New England 
 to Florida and Texas. 
 Pinus rigida Mill., Pitch Pine 
 
 Fig. 1. Maine to Virginia. 
 Rhus copallina L., Dwarf or 
 Shining Sumac 
 Fig. 5. Southern Maine to Florida 
 and Texas. 
 Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees., 
 Sassafras 
 Fig. 10. Southern Maine to Vir- 
 ginia. The bark of the roots is 
 dried and used for tea. 
 Primus maritima Marsh., Beach 
 Plum 
 Fig. 15. Knox County, Maine, to 
 Delaware. Fruit used for jelly. 
 Prunus serotina Ehrh., Black 
 Cherry 
 Fig. 16. Nova Scotia to Florida and 
 Texas. 
 
 b. Shrubs and vines: 
 
 Rhus radicans L., Poison Ivy 
 Fig. 3. Nova Scotia to Florida and 
 Texas. Poisonous to touch, many 
 people sensitive. 
 Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) 
 Planch., Virginia Creeper, 
 Woodbine 
 Fig. 4. Southeastern Maine to 
 Florida and Texas. 
 Rosa rugosa Thunb., Salt-Spray 
 Rose 
 Fig. 6. Nova Scotia to Delaware. 
 Rosa palustris Marsh., Marsh or 
 Swamp Rose 
 Fig. 7. Nova Scotia to Florida. R. 
 Carolina may also occur. 
 
 Myrica pensylvanica Loisel., Bay- 
 berry 
 Fig. 19. South Newfoundland, east 
 New Brunswick to North Carolina. 
 Wax from the berries formerly used 
 for candles. 
 Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult., 
 Sweet Fern 
 Fig. 20. Cape Breton Island to Vir- 
 ginia. (Not a fern.) 
 Gaylussacia baccata (Wang.) K. 
 Koch., Black Huckleberry 
 Fig. 23. Newfoundland to Geor- 
 gia. 
 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., 
 Bearberry 
 Fig. 21. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 May form a solid ground cover. 
 Smilax rotundifolia L., Common 
 Greenbriar 
 Fig. 73. Newfoundland to Florida 
 and Texas. Other species may be 
 present. 
 
 c. Grasses: 
 
 Ammophila breviligulata Per., 
 Dune or Marram Grass 
 Fig. 90. Newfoundland and south- 
 ern Labrador to North Carolina. 
 This grass is frequently planted to 
 stabilize dunes. Replaced by Uniola 
 paniculata from Virginia south. 
 Festuca rubra L., Red Fescue 
 Grass 
 Fig. 91. Greenland, Labrador to 
 North Carolina. Many varieties. 
 Deschampia flexuosa (L.) Trim, 
 Common Hairgrass 
 Fig. 92. South Labrador to North 
 Carolina. 
 Agrostis alba L. var. palustris 
 
 (Huds.) Pers., Redtop Grass 
 Fig. 98. Newfoundland south to 
 Georgia and Louisiana. 
 
 d. Herbs (the commonest are given, some 
 others are expected but rare) : 
 
 Solidago sempervirens L., Seaside 
 Goldenrod 
 Fig. 41. Newfoundland, Quebec to 
 New Jersey. Locally to Virginia. 
 
 50 
 
Lathy rus japonicus Willd., Beach 
 Pea 
 Fig. 53. Cirumpolar species. The 
 varieties extend from Hudson Bay- 
 to New Jersey. White variety rare. 
 
 Lupinus perennis L., Wild Lupine 
 Fig. 55. Southern Maine to Flor- 
 ida. 
 
 Baptisia tinctoria (L.) R. Br., 
 Wild Indigo 
 Fig. 57. Maine to Florida. Plant 
 turns black when pressed for her- 
 barium. Used at one time for a 
 blue dye. 
 
 Rumex acetosella L., Sheep Sorrel 
 Fig. 60. Ubiquitous weed of worn- 
 out soils. Quebec to Virginia. 
 
 Hypochoeris radicata L., Cat's Ear 
 Fig. 62. Newfoundland to North 
 Carolina. 
 
 Hieracium venosum L., Hawk- 
 weed, Rattlesnake Weed 
 Fig. 63. Southern Maine to north 
 Virginia, along the coast. Other 
 hawkweeds may be present. 
 
 Artemisia stelleriana Bess., Silver 
 King, Dusty Miller 
 Fig. 69. Gulf of St. Lawrence to 
 Virginia. 
 
 Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L., 
 Ox-Eye Daisy 
 Fig. 81. Labrador to Florida. Sev- 
 eral varieties. 
 
 Polygala polygama Walt. var. obtusa 
 Chodat., Milkwort 
 Fig. 85. Nova Scotia to Florida 
 and Texas. 
 
 Linaria canadensis (L.) Dumont., 
 Old Field Toadflax 
 Fig. 87. With the variety from 
 Nova Scotia to Florida and Texas. 
 
 Vegetation of Tidal Marshes 
 
 The dominant plant species of the tidal 
 marshes are listed below. Rare plants may have 
 been missed or intentionally omitted. Zone 
 numbers in the diagram (Fig. 109) will be used 
 to indicate the areas in which each plant com- 
 monly grows. The number of species increases 
 from Zone I to VI. 
 
 Zone I. Estuary. The bottom may be sandy, sand and mud, or cobbles. 
 
 Mostly covered with water, but may be fringed by a flat 
 
 exposed at low tide. 
 Zone II. Lower Border. Edge of the marsh, also along creeks and ditches; 
 
 normal tides flood the area twice a day; few species present. 
 
 Spartina alternijlora zone. 
 Zone III. Lower Slope. Are subjected to the higher tides. At some seasons 
 
 there may be intervals of no tidal flooding. Spartina patens 
 
 zone. 
 Zone IV. Pool. Filled with water; salinity varies with tidal influx or 
 
 long periods without flooding; may reach salinity of 56 %, or 
 
 more in summer. 
 Zone V. Upper Slope. Areas subjected to exceptionally high tides and 
 
 storm waters. Juncns gerardi zone. 
 Zone VI. Transition. (Upper Border). Area subjected to storm tides 
 
 only; upland vegetation taking over and mixed with typical 
 
 tidal marsh plants. 
 
 Figure 109. — Distributional zones where the dominate 
 plants of the tidal marshes grow. 
 
 1. Submerged flowering plants: 
 
 Zostera marina L., Eel Grass 
 
 Fig. 26. Zone I. Both shores of the 
 Atlantic. Greenland to North Carolina. 
 Turtle grass takes over from North 
 Carolina southward. Always sub- 
 merged, cannot survive if exposed to 
 desiccation by the lowering tidal waters. 
 
 Ruppia maritima L., Widgeon Grass 
 Fig. 28. Zones I, IV. Nearly cosmopol- 
 itan species. The typical plant and its 
 varieties from Newfoundland to Flor- 
 ida, West Indies, and Mexico. Quiet 
 estuaries and brackish ponds. Impor- 
 tant as food for ducks and other wild 
 fowl. 
 
 Potamogeton pectinatus L., Sago 
 Pond Weed 
 Fig. 27. Zone IV. Newfoundland to 
 Florida and Texas. Brackish ponds. 
 Important wild fowl food. 
 
 2. Dominant grasses and rushes: 
 
 Spartina alternijlora Loisel., Salt 
 Marsh Cord Grass 
 Fig. 93. Zone II dominant. Nova Sco- 
 tia to Florida and Texas. Important 
 producer of the tidal marshes. Dwarf 
 form, rarely blooms in Zone III. 
 
 Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl., Salt 
 Marsh Hay 
 Fig. 94. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 Zone III dominant, at end of growing 
 season shows "cowlick" formation. 
 
 51 
 
Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene, Spike 
 Grass, Alkali Grass 
 Fig. 97. Prince Edward Island south 
 to Florida and Texas. Zones III, V. 
 Common invader of the bare tidal marsh 
 pannes. 
 
 Juncus gerardi Loisel., Black Grass 
 Fig. 106. Newfoundland to Florida. 
 Dominant in Zone V. A rush, not a 
 grass. Its place taken further south by 
 /. roemerianus — Georgia to Texas, 
 north to Maryland. 
 
 Panicum virgatum L., Switch Grass 
 Fig. 100. Maine to Florida and Missis- 
 sippi. P. longifolium grows in same 
 habitat, more southerly in distribution, 
 occurs in southeastern Massachusetts. 
 Dominant in Zone VI, the substratum 
 frequently may be acid here. 
 
 Phragmites communis Trim, Reed 
 Grass 
 Fig. 96. Eurasia and with its varieties 
 nearly cosmopolitan. Quebec to Louisi- 
 ana and Texas. Zone VI. 
 
 Festuca rubra L., Red Fescue Grass 
 Fig. 91. Greenland, Labrador to North 
 Carolina. Many varieties. Zone VI. 
 
 Agrostis alba L. var. palustris (Huds.) 
 Pers., Redtop Grass 
 Fig. 98. Newfoundland south to Geor- 
 gia and Louisiana. Zone VI. 
 
 3. Important herbs with dominant grasses and 
 rushes: 
 
 Limonium carolinianum (Walt.) Britt., 
 Sea Lavender 
 Fig. 61. Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Mississippi. Flower panicles can be 
 dried for winter bouquets. North of 
 Cape Cod L. nashii is more common. 
 Zones II, III, V. 
 Solidago sempervirens L., Seaside 
 Goldenrod 
 Fig. 41. Newfoundland, Quebec to New 
 Jersey, locally to Virginia. Varieties to 
 Florida, Texas and Mexico. Zones III, 
 V, VI. Blooms mostly in September. 
 Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumont., Sea 
 Blite 
 Fig. 30. Quebec to Virginia. Zones II, 
 III, rarely V. 
 
 Suaeda linearis (Ell.) Moq., Sea Blite 
 Southern Maine to Florida and Texas. 
 Zones II, III, rarely V. 
 
 Salicornia virginica L., Perennial 
 Glasswort 
 Fig. 31. Southern New Hampshire to 
 South Carolina. Zones II, III, usually 
 bare areas. All species of Salicornia 
 are edible, can be used to spice up a 
 salad. 
 
 Salicornia europaea L., Samphire 
 Fig. 33. Nova Scotia south to Georgia. 
 Zones II, III. Usually recolonizing bare 
 areas, but sometimes forms a turf be- 
 low the grasses. 
 
 Salicornia bigelovii Torr., Dwarf 
 Saltwort 
 Fig. 32. Southern Maine to South Car- 
 olina. Zones II, III. Bare areas. 
 
 Aster tenuifolius L., Marsh Aster 
 Fig. 42. New Hampshire to Florida and 
 Mississippi. Zones II, III. (Aster sub- 
 ulatus Michx., an annual, also occurs in 
 this region. New Brunswick to Dela- 
 ware.) 
 
 Pluchea purpurascens (Sw.) D. C. var. 
 succulenta Fern., Salt Marsh 
 Fleabane 
 Fig. 39. Southern Maine to Florida. 
 P. camphorata from Delaware south to 
 Texas. Zones III, V, VI. 
 
 Ptilimnium capillaceum (Michx.) Raf., 
 Mock Bishop's Weed 
 Fig. 67. Southern New England to 
 Florida and Texas. Zones III, V. 
 
 Plantago oliganthos R. & S., Seaside 
 Plantain 
 Fig. 37. Southern Labrador and New- 
 foundland to New Jersey. Zone III. 
 Sometimes on bare areas or pannes. P. 
 juncoides may be present. 
 
 Atriplex patula L. var. hastata (L.) Gray., 
 
 Orach 
 
 Fig. 35. Newfoundland south to South 
 
 Carolina. Zones V, VI. Young tender 
 
 leaves can be used as a salad or green. 
 
 Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb., Sand 
 Spurry 
 Fig. 52. Quebec and south along coast 
 to Florida. S. canadensis may occur. 
 S. diandra is reported only from shore 
 of Buzzards Bay, Mass. Zone VI. 
 
 52 
 
Triglochin maritima L., Arrow-Grass 
 Fig. 59. Labrador to Delaware. Zones 
 III, V. 
 
 Potentilla egedei Wormsk. var. groenland- 
 ica (Tratt.) Polunin., Silver Weed 
 Fig. 54. South Greenland to Long Is- 
 land. 
 
 Eleocharis parvula (R. & S.) Link 
 
 Fig. 105. Newfoundland to Louisiana. 
 
 4. Shrubs: 
 
 Iva frutescens L. var. oraria (Bartlett.) 
 Fern. & Grisc, Marsh Elder, 
 High Tide Bush 
 Fig. 8. With its varieties from west 
 Nova Scotia to Virginia. Zone III, V; 
 on elevations on the marsh, VI. 
 Baccharis halmifolia L., Sea Myrtle, 
 Groundsel Tree 
 Fig. 9. Massachusetts to Florida and 
 Texas. Sexes separate, in the fall the 
 female shrub has cottony tipped seeds. 
 Zones V, VI. 
 
 5. Conspicuous algae of the marsh: 
 
 Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) LeJolis f. 
 scorpioides (Hornemann) Reinke 
 Nova Scotia to New Jersey. Zone II. 
 Tangled masses at the base of Spartina 
 alterni flora and sometimes in Zone III 
 at the base of Salicornia virginica. No 
 sexual reproduction in this form. Great 
 variation in the form. 
 
 Fucus vesiculosus L., Bladder Wrack 
 Ellesmere Island to North Carolina. 
 Variety spiralis may be found here. 
 Zone II at base of Spartina alterniflora. 
 
 6. Plants of the transition, brackish to fresh- 
 water border of the marsh: 
 
 Hibiscus palustris L., Swamp Rose 
 Mallow 
 Fig. 22. Massachusetts to North Car- 
 olina. Zone VI — pink blossom dom- 
 inant on the Cape, white form with pink 
 center also occurs. H. moscheutos oc- 
 curs from Maryland to Florida. 
 
 Scirpus americanus Pers., Three- 
 Square Rush 
 Fig. 102. Newfoundland to Florida and 
 Texas. Zone VI. Forms almost pure 
 stands around pools. 
 
 Scirpus torreyi Olney., Torrey's Rush 
 New Brunswick to Long Island. Zone 
 VI. S. olneyi should also be expected 
 in brackish marshes. Found in Dela- 
 ware. 
 
 Scirpus paludosus Nels. var. atlanticus 
 Fern. 
 Fig. 103. Anticosti Island to lower St. 
 Lawrence River south to New Jersey. 
 
 Spartina pectinata Link., Fresh Water 
 Cord Grass 
 Fig. 95. Prince Edward Island to New 
 Jersey. Zone VI. 
 
 Elymus virginicus L. var. halophilus 
 (Bickn.) Wieg., Terrell Grass 
 Fig. 99. Nova Scotia to Virginia. Zone 
 VI. 
 
 Eleocharis spp., Sedge 
 
 Fig. 104. Mature seeds must be avail- 
 able to identify to species. It is sug- 
 gested that references be consulted for 
 complete identification. Zone VI. 
 
 Lobelia cardinalis L., Cardinal Flower 
 Fig. 78. New Brunswick to Florida and 
 Texas. Freshwater marshes at edge of 
 tidal marsh. Zone VI. 
 
 Ly thrum salicaria L., Spiked Loose- 
 strife 
 Fig. 47. Newfoundland to Virginia. 
 Zone VI. 
 
 Amelanchier laevis Wieg., Shadbush 
 Fig. 17. Newfoundland to Georgia. 
 Species of Amelanchier hybridize read- 
 ily and there may be great variation. 
 Other species of the genus may be pre- 
 sent. Zone VI. 
 
 Juncus balticus Willd. 
 
 Fig. 107. Labrador to Pennsylvania. 
 
 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 For identification of plants not included here 
 and for further help with the plants listed con- 
 sult the following two manuals. They will also 
 be helpful with the grasses, sedges, and rushes: 
 
 FERNALD, M. L. 
 
 1950. Gray's manual of botany; a hand- 
 book of the flowering plants and ferns of 
 the central and northeastern United 
 States and adjacent Canada. 8th ed. 
 American Book Co., N.Y., 1632 p. 
 
 53 
 
GLEASON, H. A., and A. CRONQUIST. 
 1963. Manual of vascular plants of North 
 Eastern United States and adjacent Can- 
 ada. Van Nostrand, Princeton, N.J., 
 810 p. 
 
 For treatment of the salt spray community and 
 references to the Cap Cod Region: 
 
 BOYCE, S. G. 
 
 1954. The salt spray community. 
 Monogr. 24:29-67. 
 
 Ecol. 
 
 For treatment of the tension zone along beaches, 
 and for island floras of southern New England: 
 
 LEWIS, I. F. 
 
 1924. The flora of Penikese, fifty years 
 after. Rhodora 26: 181-195, 211-219, 222- 
 229. 
 MOUL, E. T. 
 
 1948. Flora of Penikese Island. Rhodora 
 50:288-304. 
 
 1969. Flora of Monomoy Island, Massa- 
 chusetts. Rhodora 71:18-28. (Plants 
 from this island are deposited in the 
 herbarium of the Gray Museum, System- 
 atics-Ecology Program, Marine Biological 
 Laboratory.) 
 
 For a general description of the New England 
 types of tidal marshes: 
 
 MILLER, W. R., and F. E. EGLER. 
 
 1950. Vegetation of the Wequetequock- 
 Pawcatuck tidal-marshes, Connecticut. 
 Ecol. Monogr. 20:143-172. 
 
 For a detailed description of vegetation on a 
 barrier beach, including beaches, dunes, and salt 
 marshes: 
 
 MARTIN, W. E. 
 
 1959. The vegetation of Island Beach State 
 Park, New Jersey. Ecol. Monogr. 29: 
 1-46. 
 
 For floras of southern New England: 
 
 BARTLETT, H. H. 
 
 1909. The submarine Chamaecyparis bog at 
 Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Rhodora 11: 
 221-235. (List of plants found at Quis- 
 sett.) 
 FOGG, J. M., JR. 
 
 1930. Flora of the Elizabeth Islands, Mas- 
 sachusetts. Rhodora 32:114-132, 147- 
 161, 167-180, 208-221, 226-258, 263-281. 
 MacKEEVER, F. C. 
 
 1968. Native and naturalized plants of 
 Nantucket. Univ. Mass. Press, Amherst, 
 132 p. 
 
 54 
 
SYSTEMATIC INDEX 
 
 Achillea 
 
 millefolium 29, 44 
 
 Agrostis 
 
 alba 39, 50, 52 
 
 v. palustris 39, 50, 52 
 
 Ambrosia 
 
 artemisiifolia 31, 45, 48 
 
 Amelanchier 
 
 laevis 9, 47, 53 
 
 Ammophila 
 
 breviligulata 37, 45, 50 
 
 Arctostaphylos 
 
 uva-ursi 11, 50 
 
 Arenaria 
 
 peploides 18, 44 
 
 v. robusta 18, 44 
 
 Artemisia 
 
 caudata 29, 46 
 
 stelleriana 30, 31, 44, 46, 51 
 
 Ascophyllum 
 
 nodosum 53 
 
 f . scorpioides 53 
 
 Aster 
 
 subulatus 20, 52 
 
 tenuifolius 20, 52 
 
 Atriplex 
 
 arenaria 18, 44, 46, 48 
 
 patula 18, 44, 52 
 
 v. hastata 18, 44, 52 
 
 Aulacomnium 
 
 palustre 47 
 
 Baccharis 
 
 halimifolia 7, 46, 53 
 
 Baptisia 
 
 tinctoria 25, 51 
 
 Bromus 
 
 tectorum 40, 45 
 
 Cakile 
 
 edentula 19, 44 
 
 Calopogon 
 
 pulchellus 49 
 
 Ceratodon 
 
 purpureus 47 
 
 Chenopodium 
 
 album 31, 44 
 
 Chrysanthemum 
 
 leucanthemum 34, 48, 51 
 
 Chrysopsis 
 
 falcata 36, 47 
 
 Cladonia spp 47 
 
 Comptonia 
 
 peregrina 
 
 Convolvulus 
 
 sepium 
 
 Cyperaceae 
 
 Cyperus spp 
 
 grayii 
 
 odoratus 
 
 rivularis 
 
 Datura 
 
 stramonium 
 
 Deschampia 
 
 flexuosa 37, 
 
 Dianthus 
 
 armeria 
 
 Distichlis 
 
 spicata 
 
 Drosera 
 
 intermedia 
 
 rotundifolia 
 
 Eleocharis spp 42, 
 
 parvula 42, 
 
 Elymus 
 
 virginicus 39, 
 
 v. halophilus 39, 
 
 Euphorbia 
 
 polygonifolia 21, 
 
 Festuca 
 
 rubra 37, 46, 
 
 Fucus 
 
 vesiculosus 
 
 v. spiralis 
 
 Gaylussacia 
 
 baccata 
 
 Geaster spp 
 
 Gerardia 
 
 maritima 
 
 Glaucium 
 
 flavum 
 
 Gnaphalium 
 
 obtusifolium 
 
 Gramineae 
 
 Hibiscus 
 
 moscheutos 
 
 palustris 11, 
 
 Hieracium 
 
 venosum 
 
 Hudsonia 
 
 ericoides 10, 
 
 tomentosa 10, 
 
 11,50 
 
 26,44 
 15,40 
 .. 40 
 40,47 
 .. 49 
 .. 49 
 
 32, 45 
 
 47,50 
 
 .. 23 
 
 39,52 
 
 .. 49 
 .. 49 
 49,53 
 49,53 
 
 45,53 
 
 45,53 
 
 44,46 
 50,52 
 
 53 
 53 
 
 12,50 
 .. 47 
 
 22,48 
 
 30,44 
 
 33,48 
 15,37 
 
 .. 53 
 
 28,53 
 
 27,51 
 .. 36 
 28,46 
 28,46 
 
 55 
 
Hypochoeris 
 
 radicata 27, 47 
 
 Ilex 
 
 opaca 8, 47 
 
 Iva 
 
 frutescens 7, 53 
 
 v. oraria 7, 53 
 
 Juncaceae 15, 42 
 
 J uncus spp 43 
 
 balticus 43, 53 
 
 canadensis 43, 47 
 
 gerardi 37, 42, 43, 52 
 
 greenei 43, 47 
 
 roemerianus 52 
 
 Juniperus 
 
 virginiana 4, 46, 50 
 
 Lathyrus 
 
 japonicus 24, 44, 46, 51 
 
 Lechea 
 
 maritima 35, 46 
 
 Lepidium 
 
 virginicum 34, 47 
 
 Ligusticum 
 
 scothicum 25, 44 
 
 Limonium 
 
 carolinianum 27, 48, 52 
 
 nashii 27, 48, 52 
 
 Linaria 
 
 canadensis 36, 45, 46, 51 
 
 Lobelia 
 
 cardinalis 33, 53 
 
 Lupinus 
 
 perennis 25, 51 
 
 Lycopodium 
 
 inundatum 49 
 
 Lycopus 
 
 rubellus 22, 48 
 
 Lythrum 
 
 salicaria 22, 49, 53 
 
 Molluga 
 
 verticillata 21, 45 
 
 Myrica 
 
 pensylvanica 10, 45, 46, 50 
 
 Nyssa 
 
 sylvatica 9, 47 
 
 Oenothera 
 
 biennis 44, 48 
 
 humifusa 33, 44, 48 
 
 parviflora 33, 44, 48 
 
 v. oakesiana 44, 48 
 
 Onoclea 
 
 sensibilis 50 
 
 Panicum 
 
 longifolium 48, 52 
 
 virgatum 40, 48, 52 
 
 Parthenocissus 
 
 quinquefolia 5, 45, 47, 50 
 
 Phragmites 
 
 communis 39, 49, 52 
 
 Pinus 
 
 rigiaa 4, 47, 50 
 
 Plantago 
 
 juncoideo 18, 52 
 
 oliganthos 18, 52 
 
 Pluchea 
 
 camphorata 49, 52 
 
 purpurascens 19, 49, 52 
 
 v. succulenta 19, 49, 52 
 
 Pogonia 
 
 ophioglossoides 49 
 
 Polygala 
 
 polygama 35, 48, 51 
 
 v. obtusa 35, 48, 51 
 
 Polygonella 
 
 articulata 35, 45, 48 
 
 Polygonum 
 
 glaucum 34, 44 
 
 Polytrichum 
 
 commune 47, 49 
 
 piliferum 47 
 
 Populus 
 
 tremuloides 8, 48 
 
 Potamogeton 
 
 pectinatus 14, 51 
 
 Potentilla 
 
 egedei 24, 53 
 
 v. groenlandica 24, 53 
 
 Prunus 
 
 maritima 9, 46, 50 
 
 serotina 9, 47, 50 
 
 virginiana 9 
 
 Pteridium 
 
 aquilinum 20, 48 
 
 Ptilimnium 
 
 capillaceum 29, 49, 52 
 
 Quercus 
 
 ilicifolia 8, 46 
 
 Rhus 
 
 copallina 5, 47, 50 
 
 radicans 5, 46, 50 
 
 Rosa 
 
 Carolina 48, 50 
 
 palustris 6, 48, 50 
 
 rugosa 6, 46, 50 
 
 56 
 
Rumex 
 
 acetosella 27, 45, 47, 51 
 
 Ruppia 
 
 maritima 14, 51 
 
 Salicornia 
 
 bigelovii 17, 52 
 
 europaea 17, 52 
 
 virginica 17, 52, 53 
 
 Salsoli 
 
 kali 16, 44, 49 
 
 v. caroliniana 16, 44, 49 
 
 Sassafras 
 
 albidum 7, 47, 50 
 
 Scripus 
 
 americanus 41, 53 
 
 olneyi 53 
 
 paludosus 41, 53 
 
 v. atlanticus 41, 53 
 
 torreyi 41, 53 
 
 Scleranthus 
 
 annuus 23, 45 
 
 Smilacina 
 
 stellata 32, 47 
 
 Smilax 
 
 rotundifolia 31, 50 
 
 Solanum 
 
 dulcamara 32, 45 
 
 nigrum 32, 45 
 
 Solidago 
 
 graminifolia 36, 49 
 
 sempervirens 20, 44, 46, 50, 52 
 
 tenuifolia 36, 49 
 
 Sonchus 
 
 oleraceus 30, 45 
 
 Spartina 
 
 alterniflora 38, 51, 53 
 
 patens 37, 38, 39, 45, 48, 51 
 
 pectinata 38, 53 
 
 Spergularia 
 
 canadensis . 49, 52 
 
 diandra 49, 52 
 
 marina 23, 48, 52 
 
 rubra 23 
 
 Sphagnum spp 47, 49 
 
 palustre 49 
 
 Spiraea 
 
 alba 12, 48, 49 
 
 Mifolia 12, 48, 49 
 
 tomentosa 12, 48, 49 
 
 Suaeda 
 
 linearis 16, 45, 52 
 
 maritima 16, 45, 52 
 
 Teucrium 
 
 canadense 22 
 
 Triglochin 
 maritima 26, 53 
 
 Uniola 
 paniculata 46, 50 
 
 Usnea 
 
 barbata 47 
 
 Vaccinium 
 
 macrocarpon 49 
 
 oxycoccus 49 
 
 Viola, 
 lanceolata 49 
 
 Xanthium 
 
 echinatum 19, 44, 46 
 
 Zostera 
 
 marina 13, 51 
 
 INDEX TO COMMON NAMES AND HABITATS 
 
 Acid bogs (dune hollows) 49 
 
 Alkali Grass 52 
 
 American Holly 8, 47 
 
 Arrow-Grass 26, 53 
 
 Bayberry 10, 45, 46, 50 
 
 Bayonet Grass 41 
 
 Beach Heather 10, 46 
 
 Beach Pea 24, 44, 46, 51 
 
 Beach Plum 9, 46, 50 
 
 Beach Grass 37, 45 
 
 Beaches 40, 44 
 
 Bearberry 11, 50 
 
 Bittersweet 32, 45 
 
 Black Cherry 9, 47, 50 
 
 Black Grass 42, 52 
 
 Black Huckleberry 12, 50 
 
 Black Nightshade 32, 45 
 
 Bladder Wrack 53 
 
 Bog Club-Moss 49 
 
 Bracken Fern 20, 48 
 
 Bugleweed 22, 48 
 
 Canadian Rush 47 
 
 Cardinal Flower 33, 53 
 
 Carpet Weed 21, 45 
 
 57 
 
Cat's Ear 27, 51 
 
 Cheat 40, 45 
 
 Choke Cherry 9 
 
 Cocklebur 19, 44, 46 
 
 Common Everlasting 33, 48 
 
 Common Greenbriar 31, 50 
 
 Common Hairgrass 37, 47, 50 
 
 Common Sow Thistle 30, 45 
 
 Cranberry 49 
 
 Cudweed 33, 48 
 
 Deptford Pink 23 
 
 Dune Grass 37, 50 
 
 Dune Heather 28 
 
 Dunes 37, 40, 43, 45, 46, 47 
 
 Dusty Miller 30, 44, 46, 51 
 
 Dwarf Saltwort 52 
 
 Dwarf Sumac 5, 47, 50 
 
 Earth Stars 47 
 
 Eel Grass 13, 51 
 
 Evening-Primrose 33 
 
 Evening-Primrose, Small Flowering ... 44, 48 
 
 False Solomon's Seal 32, 47 
 
 Fragrant Sedge 49 
 
 Fresh Water Cord Grass 38, 53 
 
 Glassworts 17 
 
 Golden Aster 36, 47 
 
 Goldenrod 36, 49 
 
 Grass Leaved Goldenrod 36 
 
 Grass Pink 49 
 
 Grasses 15, 37-40, 50, 51, 52 
 
 Gray's Sedge 40, 47 
 
 Groundsel Tree 7, 46, 53 
 
 Habitat list 44 
 
 Hairy Cap Moss 47, 49 
 
 Hardhack 12, 48, 49 
 
 Hawkweed 27, 51 
 
 Hedge Bindweed 26 
 
 High Tide Bush 7, 53 
 
 Holly Oak 8, 46 
 
 Horn Poppy 44 
 
 Jimson Weed 32, 45 
 
 Jointweed 35, 45, 48 
 
 Juniper 46, 50 
 
 Knawel 23, 45 
 
 Lamb's Quarters 31, 44 
 
 Lance-Leaved Violet 49 
 
 Lichens 47 
 
 Marram Grass 37, 45, 50 
 
 Marsh Aster 52 
 
 Marsh Elder 7, 53 
 
 Marsh Mallow 11, 28 
 
 Marsh Rose 50 
 
 Meadowsweet 12, 48 
 
 Milkwort 35, 48, 51 
 
 Mock Bishop's Weed 29, 49, 52 
 
 Moss 47 
 
 Nightshade 32, 45 
 
 Old Field Toadflax 45, 46, 51 
 
 Old Man's Beard 47 
 
 Orach 18, 44, 52 
 
 Ox-Eye Daisy 34, 48, 51 
 
 Peat Moss 47, 49 
 
 Peppergrass 34, 47 
 
 Perennial Glasswort 52 
 
 Pigweed 44 
 
 Pitch Pine 4, 47, 50 
 
 Pogonia Orchid 49 
 
 Poison Ivy 5, 46, 50 
 
 Poverty Grass 10, 28, 46 
 
 Protected areas 46 
 
 Quaking Aspen 8, 48 
 
 Ragweed 31, 45, 48 
 
 Rattlesnake Weed 27, 51 
 
 Red Cedar 4, 46, 50 
 
 Red Fescue Grass 37, 46, 50, 52 
 
 Redtop Grass 39, 50, 52 
 
 Reed Grass 39, 49, 52 
 
 Round-Leaved Sundew 49 
 
 Rushes 15, 41-43, 51, 52 
 
 Sago Pond Weed 14, 51 
 
 Salt Marsh Aster 20 
 
 Salt Marsh Cord Grass 38, 51 
 
 Salt Marsh Fleabane 19, 49, 52 
 
 Salt Marsh Hay 38, 45, 48, 51 
 
 Salt-Spray Rose 6, 46, 50 
 
 Saltwort 16, 44, 49 
 
 Samphire 17, 52 
 
 Sand Orach 18 
 
 Sand Spurrey 23, 48, 52 
 
 Sandwort 18 
 
 Sassafras 7, 47, 50 
 
 Scrub Oak 8, 46 
 
 Scotch Lovage 25, 44 
 
 Seabeach Knotweed 34, 44 
 
 Seabeach Orach 44, 46, 48 
 
 Sea Blite 16, 45, 52 
 
 Sea Burdock 44, 46 
 
 Sea Lavender 27, 48, 52 
 
 Sea Myrtle 7, 46, 53 
 
 Sea Purslane 44 
 
 Sea Cliffs 50 
 
 Sea Poppy 30, 44 
 
 Sea Rocket 19, 44 
 
 Seaside Gerardia 22, 48 
 
 58 
 
Seaside Goldenrod 20, 44, 46, 50, 52 
 
 Seaside Pinweed 35, 46 
 
 Seaside Plantain 18, 52 
 
 Seaside Spurge 21, 44, 46 
 
 Sedge 15, 49, 53 
 
 Sensitive Fern 50 
 
 Shadbush 9, 47, 53 
 
 Sheep Sorrel 27, 45, 47, 51 
 
 Shining Sumac 47, 50 
 
 Silver King 30, 44, 46, 51 
 
 Silver Weed 24, 53 
 
 Small Flowering Evening-Primrose ... 44, 48 
 
 Sour Gum 9, 47 
 
 Sphagnum 47, 49 
 
 Spike Grass 39, 52 
 
 Spike Rush 42 
 
 Spiked Loosestrife 22, 49, 53 
 
 Steeplebush 12, 48, 49 
 
 Swamp Rose 6, 48, 50 
 
 Swamp Rose Mallow 53 
 
 Sweet Fern 11, 50 
 
 Switch Grass 40, 48, 52 
 
 Terrill Grass 39, 45, 53 
 
 Three-Square Rush 41, 53 
 
 Tidal marshes 38, 41-43, 51, 53 
 
 Toadflax 36 
 
 Torrey's Rush 41, 47, 53 
 
 Transition zones 47-49, 53 
 
 Uplands 47-48 
 
 Virginia Creeper 5, 45, 47, 50 
 
 Widgeon Grass 14, 51 
 
 Wild Indigo 25, 51 
 
 Wild Lupine 25, 51 
 
 Wild Morning-Glory 26, 44 
 
 Woodbine 5, 45, 50 
 
 Wood Sage 22 
 
 Wormwood 29, 46 
 
 Yarrow 29, 45 
 
 59 
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
 
 Preparation of the "Marine Flora and Fauna of the' 
 Northeastern United States" is being coordinated by the 
 following Board: 
 
 Coordinator: Melbourne R. Carriker, Systematics- 
 Ecology Program, Marine Biological 
 Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass. 
 Advisers: Marie B. Abbott, Systematics-Ecology 
 Program. 
 
 Arthur G. Humes, Boston University Ma- 
 rine Program, and Systematics-Ecology 
 Program. 
 
 Wesley N. Tiffney, Department of Biology, 
 Boston University, and Systematics- 
 Ecology Program. 
 
 Ruth D. Turner, Museum of Comparative 
 Zoology, Harvard University, and Syste- 
 matics-Ecology Program. 
 
 Roland L. Wigley, National Marine Fish- 
 eries Service, Biological Laboratory, 
 Woods Hole, Mass. 
 
 Robert T. Wilce, Department of Botany, 
 University of Massachusetts, and Syste- 
 matics-Ecology Program. 
 
 The Board established the format for the "Marine 
 Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States," 
 invites systematists to collaborate in the preparation of 
 manuals, reviews manuscripts, and advises the Scientific 
 Editor of the National Marine Fisheries Service. 
 
 Ruth von Arx of the Systematics-Ecology Program, 
 Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass., drew 
 most of the illustrations. Because of a terminal illness, 
 she was unable to draw additional illustrations required 
 during revision of the manual; Susan P. Heller kindly 
 prepared Figures 5 fruit, 26a, 27a, 31a, 32a, 33a, 37a, 
 54, 59, 74a, and 102. Many biologists and students of- 
 fered suggestions for revision of the preliminary draft 
 of the manual. Eva S. Montiero typed the manuscript. 
 
 Between 1962 and 1967 Edwin T. Moul's research on 
 the manual was supported in part by a grant to the 
 Systematics-Ecology Program from the Ford Founda- 
 tion ; between 1967 and 1971, in part by grants GB-7378, 
 GB-8264, GB-13,250, and GB-24,832 from the National 
 Science Foundation to the Systematics-Ecology Pro- 
 gram. 
 
 COORDINATOR'S COMMENTS 
 
 Publication of the "Marine Flora and Fauna of the 
 Northeastern United States" is most timely in view of 
 the growing universal emphasis on environmental work 
 and the urgent need for more precise and complete iden- 
 tification of coastal organisms than has been available. 
 It is mandatory, wherever possible, that organisms be 
 identified accurately to species. Accurate scientific 
 names unlock the great quantities of biological infor- 
 mation stored in libraries, obviate duplication of research 
 already done, and make possible prediction of attributes 
 of organisms that have been inadequately studied. 
 
 Dr. Edwin T. Moul began his study of the flora of 
 
 New England in the summer of 1947 when he started 
 teaching in the marine botany course of the Marine Bi- 
 ological Laboratory. In 1950 he prepared an unpub- 
 lished report on the vascular flora of Great Pond, and 
 in 1962, in association with the Systematics-Ecology Pro- 
 gram, he commenced the field studies and syntheses which 
 resulted in this manual. 
 
 Manuals are available for purchase from the Super- 
 intendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Of- 
 fice, Washington, D.C. 20402. The manuals so far pub- 
 lished in the series and their cost per copy are listed 
 below. 
 
 COOK, DAVID G., and RALPH 0. BRINKHURST. Marine flora and fauna of the 
 
 Northeastern United States. Annelida : Oligochaeta $0.35 
 
 BORROR, ARTHUR C. Marine flora and fauna of the Northeastern United States. 
 
 Protozoa : Ciliophora $0.65 
 
 MOUL, EDWIN T. Marine flora and fauna of the Northeastern United States. Higher 
 
 plants of the marine fringe $0.65 
 
 60 
 
349. Use of abstracts and summaries as communica- 
 tion devices in technical articles. By F. Bruce 
 Sanford. February 1971, iii + 11 pp., 1 fig. 
 
 350. Research in fiscal year 1969 at the Bureau of 
 Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory, 
 Beaufort, N.C. By the Laboratory staff. No- 
 vember 1970, ii + 49 pp., 21 figs., 17 tables. 
 
 351. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Exploratory 
 Fishing and Gear Research Base, Pascagoula, 
 Mississippi, July 1, 1967 to June 30, 1969. By 
 Harvey R. Bullis, Jr., and John R. Thompson. 
 November 1970, iv + 29 pp., 29 figs., 1 table. 
 
 352. Upstream passage of anadromous fish through 
 
 navigation locks and use of the stream for spawn- 
 ing and nursery habitat, Cape Fear River N C 
 1962-66. By Paul R. Nichols and Darrell E. 
 Louder. October 1970, iv + 12 pp., 9 figs., 4 
 tables. 
 
 356. Floating laboratory for study of aquatic organ- 
 isms and their environment. By George R. 
 Snyder, Theodore H. Blahm, and Robert J. Mc- 
 Connell. May 1971, iii + 16 pp., 11 figs'. 
 
 361. Regional and other related aspects of shellfish 
 consumption — some preliminary findings from 
 the 1969 Consumer Panel Survey. By Morton 
 M. Miller and Darrel A. Nash. June 1971, iv + 
 18 pp., 19 figs., 3 tables, 10 apps. 
 
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