y, only grow naturally close to salt marshes.
Most of the natural and developed parts of the campus contain major elements of the maritime live oak forests, which characterizes the low country and its barrier islands. Well over 100 species of trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses can be found on or near the campus. The most notable and distinctive vegetative elements of the campus are the size and number of canopy trees (live oak, cabbage palm, loblolly pine, southern magnolia) and the large number of oak tree species.
Between the Marine Biology Building and dock are a weeping willow and red mulberry. A larger red mulberry is located directly behind the Kennedy Fine Arts Building. Adjacent to the Marine Biology Building along the marsh is an eastern red cedar, which is characterized by its dark, green, scaly leaves and light brown, fibrous bark and some very tall and old cabbage palms. The smaller variety of palm found in low-lying wooded areas is the saw palmetto because it has saw tooth edges at the base of the frond stems. Near the entrance to the Marine Biology Building are two sweet gum or gum-ball trees. Their star-shaped leaves are fragrant when crushed, and their fruit are round and prickly. Directly in front of the building are live oaks, so-called because they do not lose their leaves and look "dead" in winter. Hanging from them is Spanish moss which is neither Spanish nor a moss since it produces small green flowers. It is a bromeliad (air plant) obtaining its nutrients from debris on the branches. It does not harm the host tree but can reduce nut production in pecan trees.
Along the marsh directly behind Camilla-Hubert Hall are several laurel oaks between the parking lot and marsh. The leaves are elliptic, black and deeply furrowed. Bordering the east entrance to the building is a yucca or Spanish bayonet, a desert plant with succulent leaves with a sharp point, wax myrtle, a shrub with small gray, aromatic leaves and white berries, azaleas, and a hickory tree.
Across the street on Felix J. Alexis Circle is a southern magnolia which has very thick, shiny, oval, evergreen 5 to 10 inch-long 2 to 3 inch-wide leaves. The fruit is reddish brown with a fragrant smell. The circle is dominated by large live oaks, many of which have resurrection fern growing on the limbs. Under dry conditions the fronds curl up and turn brown but uncurl and turn green when wet. Scattered on the north half of the circle are some near record size loblolly pines which have pale blue needles bundled into threes and reddish-brown bark.
There is a high diversity of both indigenous and planted tree species on campus including pignut hickory (behind Herty Hall); tallow tree, sugarberry (between Hubert and Kennedy Halls); pecan (next to Kennedy Hall); slash pine (grove next to Griffith Drew Hall); long leaf pine, swamp chestnut oak (grove next to Whiting Hall); water oak, willow oak, Darlington oak, red oak (by Gardner Hall); black tupelo or black gum sweet bay (between NROTC and the Orsot Apartments); Virginia pine (behind Jordan Hall); Shumard oak, Carolina laurel (across from Plant Operations); Bradford pear, red maple, silver maple, dogwoods, lagustrum, mimosa, and many others.
Through the diversity and abundance of insects in the low country is fascinating to a biologist, they are generally regarded as pests, and in some cases, genuine nuisances. The prominent species in the later regard is the small biting midge, affectionately known as sand gnats or "no-see ums" which are occasionally abundant in early spring and late fall near the salt marshes where they breed. Fortunately, their populations are naturally regulated to unnoticeable levels during most of the year.
Mosquitoes, including a saltwater species, would be a significant problem on campus if it were not for the diligent and efficient efforts of the Chatham County Mosquito Control Commission which monitors populations and employs a variety of control methods. In the mid 1980's, the Asian tiger mosquito arrived in Savannah and has spread throughout the county. It is a container breeder