The Hudsonia is sometimes called a “False Heather” and surely reminds one of the moors. It is found in dense mats on the dunes, and when in bloom covers the sand with a bright yellow carpet. The flowers are borne in May and June and open only in sunlight. Any attempt to uproot the plant will merely break it off at the base, for the roots are extremely long and spread over many square yards. [Illustration: Dusty Miller] Dusty Miller (_Artemisia stelleriana_) Leaves hairy, white, and velvety to the touch Leaf with many fingerlike lobes You don’t need to see its flowers to identify Dusty Miller. Its heavy “wool” coat makes identification easy by feel alone. The flowers form dense clusters during July and August. [Illustration: Seaside Goldenrod] Seaside Goldenrod (_Solidago sempervirens_) Tall plant with large leaves Heads crowded together on drooping stem Individual heads bushy Everyone is familiar with Goldenrod, but few realize that there are more than a hundred species, some of them very specific as to where they live. The Seaside Goldenrod is the only common species found on beaches or in marshes with salty soil. _Green or Brown Flowers_ [Illustration: Beach Clotbur] Beach Clotbur (_Xanthium echinatum_) Large, ragged leaves Covered with short, rough hairs Heads are burrlike The heads of this weedy plant, like those of the Burdock, are covered with curved spines easily attaching to the fur or clothing of passers-by. The burrs come late in the summer, during August or September. [Illustration: Glasswort] Glasswort (_Salicornia europaea_) Plant is without leaves Fleshy, jointed stems Glasswort, a plant of the salt marsh, requires quantities of salt water. It is easily identified by its leafless stem, which looks like a string of sausages. In autumn these succulent stems turn a bright red, adding an attractive flash of color to the dying plants around them. Glasswort stems take in great quantities of salt, which you will taste if you chew one. SHRUBS AND TREES ON THE DUNES [Illustration: Sketch of tree-topped dune.] The shrubs and trees found on the dunes are those that grow well in sunlight and can subsist on a small amount of water. _Shrubs of the Dunes_ [Illustration: Bayberry] Bayberry (_Myrica pensylvanica_) Crush a leaf; note the sweet aromatic odor Small, white, waxy berry in fall No doubt the Bayberry is familiar to you. Wax from its berries has long been used to make candles, and you may wish to take some berries home to try your hand at this. Boiling them will cause the wax to float on the water. Dip a piece of string (wick) to collect it. Sweet Gale (_Myrica gale_) very closely resembles Bayberry but has tiny pine-cone-like fruits instead of white berries. It is very common in the swampy areas on the beach. [Illustration: Beach Plum] Beach Plum (_Prunus maritima_)