ECOLOGICAL CROSS SECTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 



193 



Sloughs, 



i 



The sloughs harbor a number of water-loving plants and 

 are always bordered by herbs accompanied by a few trees 

 and shrubs, of which the principal are Gleditschia aquatica^ 

 Gymnocladus canadensis^ Cephalanthus ocddentalis and Betula 

 nigra, with here and there a clump of willows. Slum dcutae- 

 folium occupies a place in the water near the bank, slightly 

 in advance of the row of Typha latifolia which in many places 



Where the water is shallow Sagittaria 

 variahilisj S. variabilis latifolia and Alisma Plantago find a 

 foothold. Cardamine rhomhoidea and Saiirurus cernuus are 

 frequent. On the wet banks grow Nasturtium officinale and 

 N. palustrey Penthorum sedoides, Rotala ramodor and Ily- 

 santhes riparian with Lippia lanceolata^ several species of 

 Polygonum and Eqiiisetum rohustum, Jusdeua repens runs 

 out over the water and in places forms an apparent but con- 

 tinuous bank fully 6 feet wide. 



fringes the banks. 



Sw^amps. 



Swampy grounds are abundant in the American Bottom, 

 resulting from the partial drainage of some of its numerous 

 lakes. They are ordinarily covered with a growth of willow^s, 

 chiefly Salix amygddoides, S. amygdalddes X nigra, S, longi- 

 folia and S. nigra, together with Acer dasycarpum, Quercus 

 bicolor and Q. palustris. The flora is in places shrubby and 

 then composed of Ilex deddua, Gleditschia aquatica^ Cepha- 

 lanlhus ocddentalis and Betula nigra. Herbaceous plants, 

 most of them water-loving, are abundant. The species most 

 frequently encountered in spring are Ranunculus ahorlivus, 

 Nasturtium palustre, N. sesdliflorum, Ludwigia palustris, 

 Sium cicutaef olium , Senedo lobatus, Mentha canadends, 

 Scutellaria lateriflora, Ins verdcolor, Acorus Calamus and 

 sedges. The summer adds to these Hibiscus ladocarpus, 

 Aster salidfolius, Bidens Beckii, Solidago lanceolata, Lobelia 

 syphilitica^ L. cardinalis, Heliotropium indicum, Lycopus 

 dnuatus and L. virginicus, Polygonum Hydropiper, P. hydro- 

 piperoides, and P. Muhlenbergii. At this time Isoetes mela- 



13 



X 



