218 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



probably formed in the axils of the leaves. They are the shape of 

 a closed fan, the thick flat leaves (quite unlike the thin wavy vege- 

 tative leaves) being packed v^ith reserve food and closely closed 

 together. The plants also put out abundant roots just a little 

 below the apex during the winter and it is very probable that this 

 detaches itself and becomes a new plant. 



In the spring the fan-shaped buds unfold, grow rapidly and pro- 

 duce new plants. 



Family 11. Naiadace^. Naias Family 

 44. slender naias 



NAIAS FLEXILIS (Willd.) Rost. & Schmidt 



The Slender Naias is fairly common in shallow water of the lake 

 near shore, especially in sandy bottom. Among the numerous 

 places it was noted may be cited, the east shore of Long Point from 

 the Point itself down to Green's pier, in patches south of the pond 

 below Farrar's, abundantly off shore at Overmyer's field, at the 

 spring by the green boathouse near the Inlet, and in scant patches, 

 a good way out in the water along the east side of the lake. 



Most of the Naias seen in the lake is short and dwarfed. The 

 zone of growth is a rather narrow belt around near shore. Some 

 of the plants are quite reddish in color. In some places they form 

 carpets, softer and more fluffy in appearance than the Chara car- 

 pets. Nowhere else, however, do the plants form such extensive 

 patches or reach such large size as they do at Lake Tippecanoe, 

 where this plant gets almost 2 feet high and forms a conspicuous 

 feature of the subaquatic landscape. 



Staminate plants were difficult to find in the lake, though pistil- 

 late plants were quite common, and the minute ovate cylindrical 

 seeds were common along shore. The Naias along shore remained 

 green as late as October 28. It completely died during the winter. 

 The patches come up thick and bright, probably from seeds, late 

 in the spring. 



A stout Naias was rather common in the lake in muddy bot- 

 tom in about 9 feet of water and also near shore by the icehouses 

 at a depth considerably greater than that in which the slender short 

 form grows. This plant is much coarser than the near-shore form. 

 Some of those plants grow at the Weedpatch as well as near the ice- 

 houses. They differ from the slender form in habit, as they remain 

 green all winter. This may be the N. flexilis rohnsta of Morong. 



The coarse Naias was found in considerable quantities in the 

 stomachs of coots, and apparently forms an important article of 



