191 



The lake i)laiii is a perfectly flat area composed of muck ajid marl. 

 In many places it is covered with copses of low willows, Conius, Cepha- 

 hintlnis Spirca and Carolina rose, and this is perhaps its original form. In 

 other places it is a sedgy meadow. Peculiarities are (1) the distribution 

 of plant species in horizontal strata, as. bushes above, then sedges, then 

 ferns, and lower, mosses and Selaginella. (2) The flora is so crowded that 

 when a predominant species is in flower it frequently gives its tint to the 

 whole landscape, so we have a succession of "color waves" during the 

 year, as the bhie of blue vervain, deep purple of Lj/thruin alafurn, light 

 l)urple of swamp milkweed or joe-pye-weed, ]>rown of Osniuiida ref/aUs, 

 or yellow of tickseed sunflower or Riidbeckia. 



The tamarack was nearly extinct, but others near by showed probable 

 former flora of SplKujniiui, pitcher plants and an interesting assortment of 

 liraths and orchids. 



Temporary woodland ponds are mostly bare of bottom except for dead 

 leaves and some shrubs and water crowfoot. The temporary ponds in the 

 open are overgrown with Scirpus cyperincns and various species of Eleo- 

 charis. These tempoi-ary ponds are Interesting as they contain plants show- 

 ing seasonal dimoi-phism, an aquatic form during wet seasons and a land 

 form during dry periods of the year. They also contain plants, the lower 

 leaves of which are fitted to submersed life, and the upper to aerial life, as 

 water parsnips and watei- crowfoot. 



Permanent ponds, quaking bogs and bayous are similar to the lake, 

 except that they contain a gi-eater number and variety of duckweeds. 



The Ice Ridge is interesting in many ways, but does not contain many 

 plants peculiar to itself. 



The Beach contains a mixed flora. Sometimes its flora is of such plants 

 as Scirptis Americanus or various EJeocharU sometimes it is seedlings of 

 elms, maples, etc., which have been deposited by waves. 



The lake has several zones of plants. Near the shore and extending 

 both ways are plants with well marked dimorphism — a well developed 

 land form, and an aquatic form. Among such plants are. spatterdock, 

 A\hite water lily. Utricularia intermedia, water plantain. Heteratithcni 

 didiid. and many others. Scirpus lacustris has two well marked forms 

 Avhich frequently grow side by side and form a distinct contrast. At other 

 places what appear to be intermediate forms are found. Many of the Pota- 

 inogetonii have emersed leaves dissimilar in form and structure from the 

 .*iubmersed ones. Among the various zones of plants are: 



