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Burchick's Corner II
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So here is the major trivia (quotes) regarding Reveal’s findings:

“It is interesting that none of these men gathered red maple or loblolly pine, perhaps indicating
that these two plants have since become more abundant and weedy as a result of cutting the native forest.”

“Conversely, we did not find a single early collection of red maple, nor was it mentioned by Jones although
the plant is now common on the coastal plain.”

“It is interesting to note that the early American naturalists failed to collect Virginia creeper, which is now
so common due to habitat destruction.”

“Another common species is reed grass (Phragmites), which the early naturalists did not collect.”

Reveal’s summary on our pre-colonial and colonial flora was that it was dominated by rich forests and woodlands
comprising a wealth of tall and massive hardwood trees and elegant conifers.  Shrubs were common on the forest
margins, in the open meadows and swampy regions.  Wildflowers were locally common at numerous sites and
grass species were most frequent in swamps, meadows and natural openings.  He discusses once massive stands
of bald cypress and Atlantic white cedar in wetlands and coastal plain stands of eastern hemlock, the fondness of
colonials for collecting partridgeberry and black-eyed Susan.

Can you imagine red maple being considered a “disturbance species,” so rare as to not have been collected.  Amazing!

For an incredible read of colonial Maryland and its natural communities check out HUNTIA, A Journal of Botanical History, Volume 7, 1987, Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Comments on the Vegetation of Colonial Maryland,
Melvin Brown, James Reveal, Rose Broome and George Frick, pages 247 through 282.