Hitchcock — Ecological Plant Geography of Kansas. 65 



The physiognomy of the western plains is peculiar. The 

 predominant plant is buffalo grass {Bucliloe dactyloides) with 

 often considerable grama grass {Bouteloua oligoslachya). 

 This forms a close mat two or three inches high of a grayish- 

 green color. The other plants are scattered here and there in 

 this sod. The Opuntias are conspicuous though they creep 

 along edgewise, and rise but little above the grass. The 

 most conspicuous plants are Asclepias Jamesii and Cnicus 

 ochrocentrus, which are one to two feet high. 



Certain of the plants in the list are found chiefly in new 

 ground, such as fire-guards and prairie-dog towns. These 

 are : Echinospermum, Kryniizkia^ Solanum trifiorum^ S. ros- 

 tratum, Chamaesaracha, Verbena, Cladothrix^ Ghenopodium 

 Fremonti incanum, Schedonnardus, Munroa. 



I have spoken previously of the xerophytic character of the 

 plants of the plains (Contr. Nat. Herb. 3:538). Though 

 the species vary somewhat as one goes west, the physiognomy 

 remains the same and the community cannot be broken up 

 readily into subformations, as is the case with most of the 

 other classes. 



In eastern Kansas the species in addition to those mentioned 

 above are: Anemone decapetala. Delphinium azureum, Cal- 

 lirrhoe triangidata, C alcaeoides, Linum sulcatum, Baptisia 

 ausiralis, B. leucop)haea, Psoralea argophylla, P . jiorihunda, 

 P.esculenta, Petalosteinon violaceus, P. candidus, Astragalus 

 caryocarpus, A. Plaitensis, Desmodium lUinoense, Lespedeza 

 capitaia, SchranJcia uncinata, Liatris pycnostachya, L . scari- 

 osi, Gnndelia squarrosa, Solidago rigida, Silphiiun lacini- 

 aium (compass plant), Helianihus rigidus, Coreopsis palmata, 

 Cnicus undulatus, Asclepiodora viridis, Lithospermum an- 

 gustifolium, Salvia azurea grandifiora, Panicum scoparium^ 

 P. depauperatum, Stipa spartea. 



Through eastern Kansas occur small areas the vegetation 

 of which probably should be classed with the xerophytes. 

 They are usually referred to as " sterile places." They are 

 open barren spots owing their dryness to the character of the 

 soil. The following plants are frequently found in such 

 localities: Draha Caroliniana, Silene antirrhina, Sagina 

 decuinbens, Hypericum Drummondii, Siylosanihes elatior. 



