174 



MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



seeds 



6 



As a result there is a profuse spring flora 



composed of annuals, and a summer flora consisting of an- 

 nuals the seeds of Avhich germinated during the spring months, 

 together with some of the perennials which are typical of 

 the fafl aspect of the prairie, Cliief among the earlier plants 

 are Carex grisca, Agrostis alba and A. scabra^ Danihonia spicata^ 

 Elymiis striahis, Festiica tenclla^ PJdeum yratcnse, Poa com- 

 pressa and P. pratends. Here and there, in the bottom of 

 slight valleys or in the vicinity of sinkholes, where the ground 

 is swampy, one meets with Carex laxiflora, C. lupidina, and 

 C. ripana, Cyperus erytJtrorhizos, Elymus canadensis, Eragros- 

 tis rcptanSj Glyccria ncrvala and Panicum Crus-galli,, Where 

 there is a slight elevation Panicum depaiipcraium is dominant. 

 When, with the increase of evaporation, the prairies be- 

 come dry, most of the species just enumerated disappear. 

 Tiieir places arc taken by others, especially Andropogon 

 fiircatus, A. scoparius and Eatonia obtusata. 



Grasses, though numerically the most important members 

 of this prairie flora, arc not by any means the most striking. 

 During the late fall they are but little in evidence, their de- 



Between the 



broken, prostrate stems of the fall-blooming Compositae are 



bright patches of green derived from the winter rosettes of 



several perennials. The typical winter rosette of Lechea major 

 is striking. 



cayiriii stems forming: a liirht-colored mat. 



t) 



o 



to 



Patches of Trifolium 



rosettes of 



sella Bursa-pastoriSy of Oenothera biennis and its variety 

 muricataj clumps of Achillea MiUefolium and isolated dark 

 green rosettes of Arctium Lappa minus and Cnicus pumilus, 

 everywhere catch the eye, as do the rosettes of Verhascimi 

 ThapsiiSy Verbena angiistifolia, 7. AuUetia, V. stncta and V. 

 urticaejolia, Brunella vulgaris and Plantago Rugelii. The 

 brilliant yellow fruits of Solanum carolinense are found lying 

 in all directions among the decaying herbs. Striking are 

 large patches of Croton capitatus of which only the dried 

 branches remain, still bearing the fruit. Here and there 

 appear the bleached skeletons of Datura Tatula, while the 



brov 



mullein and 



ggcd 



Most of the plants just mentioned do not attain their full 



