337 



but particularly Solidago ohioensis, characterizes the association. The 

 dead standing stems of many of these plants remain over winter. 



Sncccssional Relationships. — This association is preeminently an 

 association inhabiting low ridges which have a coating of black soil. 

 Accordingly it is usually able to succeed any association which forms 

 black soil. This is especially true in the case of the genetically high- 

 est swamp associations, which, in spite of their density, the Liatris 

 spicata prairie is able to invade and replace as long as the water- 

 content factor of the soil is not prohibitive to its development. In 

 the more sandy swales between the ridges of pine near the lake, 

 shrubby plants of Potentilla frnticosa frequently obtain dominance, 

 with nearly the same set of secondary species. Liatris spicata is 

 rather scarce at present in such areas, but shows every indication of 

 ultimately replacing them with prairie. As has been shown before, 

 a dense prairie sod prevents the invasion of oaks, but wherever it 

 may be broken, or near its margins, oaks can obtain a foothold. It 

 can readily be seen, therefore, that under the present climatic con- 

 ditions the final outcome of the prairie areas of this region is, or will 

 be, an oak forest. 



UST OF THE SPECIES OE THE EIATRIS SPICATA PRAIRIE ASSOCIATION 



Dominant Species 

 Liatris spicata 

 Phlox pilosa 

 Phlox glaberrima 

 Castilleja coccinea 

 Dodecatheon meadia 

 Liliiini philadelphicmn andinuni 

 Pycnanthem iim znrginianitm 

 Lythrwn alatiiin 



Secondary Species 

 Aletris farinosa 

 Apocymim cannahinuin hypcricl- 



foliuni 

 Aster novae-angliae 

 Aster ptannicoidcs 

 Aster spp. 



Calopogon piilchellus 

 Brigeron ram osns 

 Brigeron philadclphicuiii 

 Bryngiiim yiiccifoHiun 



Solidago ohioensis 

 Solidago riddellii 

 Rudbeckia hirta 

 Senecio balsamitae 

 Sorghastrnm nu tans 

 Andropogon furcatus 

 Allium cernumn 

 Petalostemum purpuremn 



Anemone inrginiana 

 Aster dnmosiis 

 Astragalus canadensis 

 Bronius kalnvii 

 Coniandra iimbellata 

 Desmodiu m illinoense 

 Coreopsis lanceolata villosa 

 Coreopsis pahnata 

 Bupatoriuni pcrfoliatuui 

 (abundant) 



