:V%- 



231 



fact may possibly account for my not liaviiifi' seen them in other local- 

 ities. Of course it is not necessary that any species should be entirely 

 liinite<l to a certain locality in order to be properly (jharacteristic of 

 that locality. 



PLANT8 CnAKACTEKISTIC OF SALT MARSHES. 



Ex]>eriments have shown that solutions of salt have a rctardinj^- influ- 

 ence upon the assimilative processes in i)lants ; and now in a recent con- 

 tiibutioii to botanical science ("Ueber Hchutzmittel des Laubes gegen 

 Transpiration besoiiders in der Flora Javas," A. F. W. Schimi)er; Sitz- 

 un^sberichte der P.cil. Alcadeui. der Wisseiischaften, 1<S<K), S. 1()4.")), the 

 writer maintains tluit tlie presence of salt also interferes with the water 

 siii)ply, much to the same extent as a relatively dry soil. Hence it is 

 arjiiicd that the tliicli, Hesliy leaves, sunken stomata, and hairiness of 

 salt-marsh plants are all protective characters against too rapid trans- 

 piration, just as they are in the case of plants of desert regions. If this 

 view is correct, there are probably other characters distinguishing salt- 

 marsh plants from those of desert regions, for I have yet noted but two 

 species that are at all common to both localities. 



The two species that 1 liave found to be common to salt marshes and 

 barren sandy regions are Corispermiun Jn/ssopifolium L. and Ci/cloloma 

 l)l(iti/ph>fllHm Moq., belonging to the gooselbot order {Chcnopodiacew). 

 The former I have collected in abundance in sandy districts in Texas 

 Pauhandle and various ])laces in southwest Kansas and in salt 

 marshes all along the Salt Fork, in Cherokee Outlet; the latter, in a 

 number of Kansas salt marshes, and in sandy wastes in extreme south- 

 Avestern Kansas, where it is a common tuml)le weed. 



Atrlplex expanm Wats., belonging to the same order to which the 

 above belong, is a common alkali and salt marsh plant in southern 

 Kansas, although tliis is its first publication as a Kansas plant. It is 

 also conunon along the Salt Fork in Indian Territory. It is well known 

 to possess thick, scurfy leaves. Kochia Amcyicana Wats., another mem- 

 ber of the goosefoot order, and possessing unusually thick, terete, 

 Heshy leaves, is also a common salt-marsh plant throughout southern 

 and western Kansas. I have myself found it at Wichita and in salt 

 marshes at Geuda Springs (Sumner County) and in Stafford County. 

 It is according to my exi»eriencc that a majority of the genera of the 

 orders Chenoi)odia(!eje and AmarantacejB represented in the Great 

 riains furnish species peculiar to salt jriarshes and sandy Avastes. 



Of the sedges Seirpm maritimuH L. and Scirpus Torreyi Olney are 

 invariably found associated with salt marshes throughout Kansas and 

 Indian Territory. DLstichUs maritinui Ilaf., var. siricfa Tliurber, and 

 Sporobolus a'iroidcH Torr. are such common grasses in salt marshes that 

 it would be quite strange to see a salt marsh without them. The latter 

 is also found in various alkaline and other barren soils. 

 ^654— i^o. G 4 



