178 



MISSOURI BOTANICAL GAIIDEN 



Trees and shrubs have found lodgment here 



time, notably Eryngium yuccaefoliumy Verhascum Thapsiis 

 and Agave virginica as well as several Compositac. Gym- 

 nostomum curvirostre is the moss chiefly encountered. It 

 may be found here during the entire summer. Lichens cover 

 the surface of the rocks, principally Parmelia capiiatay Phys- 

 da stellaris and Peltigera rufescens. 



During the summer this flora is augmente"H by Polanisia 

 graveolens, derived from the plants on the railroad tracks at 

 the foot of the bluff, Hypericum maculatuin^ Linum virgimcum^ 



Pimpinella integcrrima, Sporoholus asper and S. vaginae flonis . 

 In the fall Compositae are most prominent, especiafly Aster 

 ohlongifoUus and A. novae-angliae^ Coreopsis palmatay Soli- 

 dago Drummondii and S. ulmijolia. A fern, Pellaea atro- 

 purpiirea, is to be found here throughout the year, taking ad- 

 vantage of the slightest amount of soil in crevices; Cheilan- 

 thes lanuginosa and Woodsia obtusa arc met with from spring 

 till autunm. 



and there, but are neither frequcnit nor abundant. They in- 

 clude, beside the local species of Rhus^ Amelanckier canaden- 

 sis and Fraxinus viridis. The principal creeper is Teconia 

 radicans. 



At the top of the bluff there frequently occurs a narrow 

 strip, but a yard or so wide, which appears to be occupied 

 mainly by Paniciim depauperatum^ Leguminosac and Com- 

 positae, while in spring Capsella Bursa-pasloris and Andro- 

 sace occidentalis are quite common. AVhile the Compositac 

 are those of the cliff proper, with the addition of Rudheckia 

 hirta, the Leguminosac form a feature not possessed by the 

 cliff. They consist mainly of Desmodium marilandicum^ 

 D. paniculatum, Psoralea iemiiflora and Stylosanihes elatior. 

 Here also occur large patches of Cladonia fimbriata. This, 

 during the winter months, is practically the only sijccics en- 

 countered here, just as the cliff flora is limited to the rosettes 

 of Lechea major and 

 Pellaea atropurpurea. 



Verhascum ThapsuSj together with 



Talus. 



With the exception perhaps of the flora surrounding the lakes 

 near the IlUnois bluffs, there is no station in the entire section 



