Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 243 



was noticed growing on the bottom of the outlet, a considerable dis- 

 tance below the lakes ; these plants were very long and slender. On 

 May 29 of the same year it was seen in flower in Green's marsh. 

 In the tamarack west of the lake it grew in large dense patches, 

 the plants being very short. 



126. HAIR-LIKE STENOPHYLLUS 



STENOPHYLLUS CAPILLARIS (L.) Britton 



A slender grass-like sedge found growing scantly on the sandy 

 soil north of Lost Lake. It is a rather inconspicuous plant, and 

 easily overlooked. 



127. SLENDER FIMBRISTYLIS 



FIMBRISTYLIS AUTUMNALIS (L.) R. & S. 



Much like Stenophyllus capillaris and found growing with it in 

 the sandy soil north of Lost Lake. 



128. SLENDER COTTON-GRASS 



ERIOPHORUM GRACILE Koch 



This species is found nowhere about the lake except in Hawk's 

 marsh. Here it grows in considerable abundance, and appears to 

 be increasing in density of growth from year to year. 



With the possible exception of the tall tickseed sunflower, which 

 grows over great areas to the exclusion of everything else, and 

 covers for a brief season great patches with continuous stretches 

 of unbroken gold, this patch of cotton grass is one of the most 

 striking bits of scenery of the country. 



There are several species of plants, which in the density of 

 growth and abundance of blossom give their color to the whole land- 

 scape. There are the blue vervains which in rolling moist clayey 

 places tone the whole area to a sober blue, and there are the level 

 moist flats, in some places changed to a dirty white by blossoms of 

 boneset, or in others almost unbroken delicate pink by the steeple 

 bush (Spiraea) or others yellow with swamp goldenrods; but the 

 cotton grass rivals and outshines them all, both in its conspicuous- 

 ness and the continuance of its season of splendor. 



The cotton grass nowhere forms continuous patches, but the 

 plants grow singly, scattered among the sphagnum and sedges, 

 which they overtop. One small patch west of the center of the marsh 

 is almost dense enough to give the appearance of continuity. Gen- 

 erally, however, the plants are far enough apart to give the outline 

 of each individual head. 



While still in blossom in July and August the cotton grass is 



