Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 381 



plants underneath him. The plants remain in this condition until 

 some time after the ice has melted and the water warmed up, 

 gradually greening up with the progress of the spring. The deli- 

 cate plant taken out of the water collapses into a wilted-looking 

 shapeless mass. 



With the progress of spring the plant puts forth a stout club- 

 like stem which finally becomes hollow ; the lower stem leaves are 

 rather finely serrate, but much coarser than the radicle ones. As 

 the stem mounts higher and higher out of the water and into the 

 air, the leaves take on increased firmness and simplicity of outline 

 until the uppermost are simply shallow-toothed or almost entire. 



The flowers are not remarkable, being simply small white blos- 

 soms of the usual parsley style in an umbel. 



572. WATER HEMLOCK; MUSQUASH ROOT 



CICUTA MACULATA L. 



Rather common in places ; a few plants along shore south of the 

 ice-houses, in front of the Assembly grounds, and south of Win- 

 field's A few along the road in low wet places. Well up and 

 in leaf by May 9. Still in blossom as late as October 24. In many 

 low meadows this is one of the most persistent and annoying weeds, 

 and many swampy places are, in the height of the flowering season, 

 almost white with them. The delicate white umbel of blossoms has 

 won for the plant in some places the name of "lace plant" or "Queen 

 Anne's Lace" a name which belongs rather to the wild carrot, 

 Daucus carota. The roots, somewhat resembling dahlia roots, con- 

 tain a deadly poison. It is by the scattering of these tuber-like 

 roots by the plow that the plants are disseminated through low 

 fields. 



573. BULB-BEARING WATER HEMLOCK 



CICUTA BULBIFERA L. 



Common about Lost Lake, on the low swampy shores of Lake 

 Maxinkuckee, in the Norris Inlet, and the outlet region. Flowers 

 and fruit are very rare, only one plant being found in fruit. Tiny 

 bulblets are borne in great numbers in the axils of leaves; these 

 drop off into the water and are carried by waves to various 

 places along shore, and form a very efficient means of propaga- 

 tion. A few plants grew on Long Point near Scovell's, many in 

 low ground by Overmyer's, and formerly it was common at the tip 

 of Long Point, from which it has disappeared on account of changed 

 conditions. 



