142 



are only a few found of the dark green tii-ni form), while the reverse is 

 true of the bulruslies in the lake. • 



THE FLORA OF THE LAKE PROPER now comes up for cousidera- 

 tion. In the beginning it may be well to state that many of the plants 

 growing in the neighborhood of the shore exhibit decided variatious in 

 general appearance. They have two extreme forms, one found growing in 

 shallow water and the other in deep water. Among such plants may be 

 mentioned the following: 



(1) Sciri)!!.^ larustris (light green, apparently glaucescent — easily 

 crushed— form already noted) grows in rich muck in shallow water. This 

 appears to continue in blossom longer than the otlier, and but one patch 

 is found in the lake proper, though it is abundant in the ponds. The 

 dark-green, firm form, groAving in the marl and in deeper water, generally 

 has the umbel more contracted. At a few places these forms seem to 

 intei'grade, although there is no gradual shading-off at the place in the lake 

 where they grow side by side. 



(2) Xirinphara (idvnui, or spatterdock, exhibits a variation iu habit 

 really very slight but quite conspicuous, and readily noticed by the most 

 superficial observer. In rich soil and shallow water it is stout and erect, 

 the large petioles holding the leaves high out of the watei*. In deep water 

 all, or nearly all. the leaves float, and the petioles are lax. 



(3) White water lily— tlie same general change, only more marked. 

 The shallow water form lias stout petioles, holding the leaves far above 

 the surface of ilir water and at an angle, and the leaves show a radical 

 ribbing or faint fluting, not coincident Avith the veins, but in direction 

 like that of a palm-leaf fan— dee]) water form, with slendei*, weak, often 

 coiled petioles and leaves floating on the surface of the water. On sandy 

 bottom tlie plant is niiicli smaller in leaf and flower, giving rlie form 

 (Var. iiiiiioi' Simms). 



(4i ^^'ater plantain, leaves exceedingly variable in sliape, those under 

 water resembling eelgrass: those floating are much like leaves of some of 

 the Pot<nii(i(/(t(>iix. while the aerial leaves resemble the ordinary plantain. 



The folloAving brief synopsis wjll sutflce to give a general idea of the 

 centripetal secpience of the various plants of the lake. (1) On shore, out 

 of watei-: Scir/iKs (iiiirric(i)ii(s, Sagittarius, Klmchavis aciciilaris and cat- 

 tails. Here. too. may he reckoned Poiijiioiiiinii tiniphihiuni, with its roots 

 on shore and its prostrate stem floating. It strikingly resembles a 

 I'otarmifirtoii. (2i On shore and extending aAvay into the water; SciriJiis 



