68 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



hundreds of square feet growing so thickly that fifty plants 

 may be lifted by one thrust of the spade. One of the blue vio- 

 lets, with peculiarly attractive wine-colored flowers gives its 

 color to the whole region for a week or more. 



After one has listed all the plants to be found, he is likely 

 to be astonished at the small number. During the first six 

 months of the year, less than fifty different species have 

 bloomed if grasses and sedges are omitted. There is a noirce- 

 able lack of those species which store up food in underground 

 parts. This in a measure explains why there are no early 

 flowers on the plain, but the question why such species should 

 be absent is quite another matter. Apparently soil, shade and 

 the all pervading moisture are jointly responsible for their ab- 

 sence. The presence of some others is almost equally difficult 

 to explain. The star grass, for instance, which elsewhere is 

 an inhabitant of dryish woods, grows here in the wet grounds, 

 and the purple oxalis keeps it company. Although the region 

 is crossed by several railways the absence of exotic weeds can- 

 not fail to be remarked. With the exception of the dandelion, 

 there are no plants in the list that have come to us from the 

 Old World, though many species of these may be plentiful 

 enough along the railway embankments. 



In mid summer, the vegetation of the plain, being for the 

 most part shallow rooted, is frequently injured by drouth, 

 while in winter and spring the other extreme is met. This 

 wide variation in the amount of moisture has doubtless played 

 a part in the development of the plant covering of the region, 

 and a closer study of the plants will doubtless discover some 

 with differences of sufficient importance to warrant their being- 

 described as new forms. Some of these already noted are now 

 being kept under observation and further notes upon them may 

 be presented at another time. 



The following list of the species found during the first 

 six months of 1911, is arranged in the order in which the spe- 

 cies were found in bloom. It will be noted that the majority 



