274 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



only aloiiff the principal water courses 

 where sufficient moisture was present 

 the year around for them to maintain a 

 foothold. 



The characteristic grassland vegeta- 

 tion of this savanna region may best be 

 considered under a few sub-headings 

 as follows: 



(a) High Rolling Grassland Flora: 

 The principal species of this association 

 were: slender wheat grass {Agropyron 

 tenerum), awned wheat grass (.4. cani- 

 num), western wheat grass (A. Smithii), 

 rye grass {Elijmus canadensis), crested 

 hair grass {Koeleria crislala), porcupine 

 grass {Stipa spaitea), forked beard grass 

 (Andropogon furcatus), brown beard- 

 grass (A. scoparius), Indian grass 

 {Sorghaslrum nutans), purple love-grass 

 [Eragrosiis pectinacea), Pursh's love- 

 grass {Eragrostis Purshii), switch grass 

 {Panicum virgatum), hairy mesquite 

 grass {Bouteloua hirsula), grama grass 

 {B. oligostacliya), tall grama grass {B. 

 curtipendula), buffalo grass (Buchloe 

 dactijloides), sedges {Carex pennsylvanica 

 C. festucacea), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrin- 

 chium campestre), yellow star grass 

 {Hypoxis hirsula), Pasque flower {Anem- 

 one patens var. Wolfgangiana), Anem- 

 one {Anemone cylindrica), prairie 

 larkspur {Delphinium Penardi), prairie 

 crowfoot {Ranunculus rhomboideus), 

 prairie rose {Rosa arkansana), tall 

 cinquefoil {Potentilla arguta), alum root 

 {Heuchera hispida), ground plum {Astra- 

 galus caryocarpus), milk vetch {Astra- 

 galus canadensis) , prairie apple {Psoralea 

 escunlenta), prairie clover {Petalostemum 

 purpureum, P. candidum, P. villosum), 

 lead plant {Amorpha canescens), tick- 

 trefoil {Desmodium canadense), prairie 

 violet {Viola pedalifida) , birdsfoot violet 

 {Viola pedata) , flowering spurge {Euphor- 

 bia corollata), Phlox {Phlox pilosa), 

 ground cherry {Physalis longijolia), 

 puccoon {Lithospermum canescens), 

 lady's tobacco {Antennaria plantagini- 

 folia), ox-eye {Heliopsis scabra), sun- 

 flower {Helianthus scaberrimus), blazing 

 star {Liatris scariosa), golden-rods {Soli- 

 dago missouriensis, S. nemoralis, S. 



rigida, S. canadensis), Asters {Aster 

 multijlorus, A. commutalus, A. azureus). 



(b) The prairie meadow: In these 

 situations occurred a limited number of 

 species, mostly grasses, demanding a 

 moister habitat than that of the high 

 rolling prairie. The characteristic 

 plants were: holy grass {Hierochloe 

 odorata), Scribner's panicum {Panicum 

 Scribnerianum) , red top {Agrostis alba), 

 Canada blue grass {Poa compressa), 

 fowl meadow grass {Poa iriflora), tall 

 marsh grass {Spartina cynosuroides) 

 and wild onion {Allium canadense). 



(c) Wet meadow and marsh flora: 

 In the wet meadows, marshes and 

 sloughs flourished sedges, rushes, and 

 bulrushes, together with a considerable 

 number of other hydrophytic species 

 and shallow water forms of which the 

 principal ones were: arrowhead {Sagit- 

 taria latifolia), cat-tail {Typha lati- 

 folia), bur-reed {Sparganium eurycar- 

 pum), reed {Phragmites communis), 

 sedges {Carex vulpinoidea, C. gravida, 

 C. cephaloidea), bulrushes {Scirpus 

 fluviatilis, S. polyphullus, S. americanus, 

 etc.), spike-rush {Eleocharis pahistris, 

 E. acicularis), yellow water crowfoot 

 {Ranunculus del phi nif alius), white water 

 crowfoot {R. aquatilis), water persicaria 

 {Polygonum amphibium), 3'ellow water 

 cress {Radicula palustris), swamp milk- 

 weed {Asclepias incarnata) , water hem- 

 lock {Cicuta maculata), water parsnip 

 {Sium cicutae folium), tufted loosestrife 

 {Lysimachia thrysiflora), mare's tail 

 {Hippurus vulgaris), begger-ticks 

 {Bidens frondosa), and stick-tight 

 {Bidens cernua). 



(d) Fauna of the Savannas: Forest 

 animals frequenting small groves, open 

 bpaces, and stream skirting forest: elk, 

 mule deer {Odocoilus hemion.us) (extreme 

 western part only, now wanting), rac- 

 coon, chipmunk, skunk, red fox. 



Forest edge (thicket) species. 



Franklin ground squirrel {Citellus 

 franklinii), jumping-mouse {Zapus hud- 

 sonius), rose-breasted grosbeak, yellow 

 warbler, indigo bunting, yellow-billed 

 cuckoo, house wren, mourning dove, 



