Wildflowers of the Southern Appalachian Mountains
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the Palm of your Hand
And Eternity in an Hour.
--William Blake
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These mountains are old, very old, once rivaling the Rockies or perhaps the Andes in height. They have resisted the sea, the scraping of glaciers and still stand, though rounded and worn, against the ravages of time. This ancientness has allowed a wonderful variety of life to develop with a combination of Northern and Southern species, thanks to the climactic effects of altitude. It is often quoted, significantly, that the Great Smokies have more species of trees than the whole of Europe. A great variety of herbaceous plants are also found in abundance in the Southern Appalachians as well--reportedly over 1500 species, once causing quite a stir as William Bartram, Asa Gray and others explored the area making observations and collecting specimens during the 18th and 19th centuries, and these are the focus of this site. |
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
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