PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 55 



THE LOESS AREA OF WESTERN IOWA. 

 By L. H. Pammel, Botanist. 



The loess mounds though made of a tenacious clay show no springs or 

 running water anywhere except in the wooded cannons at the base of the 

 hills. The vegetation from early spring to fall is a succession of bloom, 

 beginning with such plants as: pasque flower (Anemone patens var Nut- 

 tallians) paint brush (Castilleia sessiliflora), puccoon (Lithospermum 

 angustifolium) stemless loco (Oxytropis Lambertii) hairy puccoon (Litho- 

 spermum caneuscens). 



Another common plant over the hillside is Bastard toad flax (Comandra 

 umbellata). Three weeks later the most conspicuous plant over the loess 

 mound is snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) which is most abund- 

 ant near the timber Jine, encroaching upon the mounds. The snowberry 

 is a forerunner of shrubs and trees at the edge of the loess mounds. 

 Along with it, frequently in great abundance, is the hoary vervain (Ver- 

 bena stricta) and the pomme de terre (Psoralea argophylla), the latter 

 with long roots. The milk rush (Lygodesmia juncea) a typical xerophytic 

 plant, is extremely common, occurring not only in the vertical clay banks 

 but over the entire mound. 



Near the tops of the mounds Aplopappus (Aplopappus spinulosus) 

 forms broad masses. Quite widely distributed over these loess mounds 

 we have the dalea (Dalea laxiflora and the D. alopecuroides), the for- 

 mer, with roots several feet long is particularly well adapted to xerophytic 

 conditions, the small teretish leaves make it admirably fitted for the 

 conditions existing upon the mounds. Along with it we find the prairie 

 clover (Petalostemon multiflorus) both belonging to the typical plants 

 of the plains of Nebraska and Colorado. 



Of the early composite flowering plants upon the loess mounds the 

 purple coneflower (Efchinacea angustifolia) and black-eyed susan (Rude- 

 beckia hirta) are more or less common over the entire loess mounds. 

 The ox-eye (Heliopsis scabra) is common on the borders along with 

 the snowberry (Symphoricarpos), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus) and ver- 

 vain. (Verbena). 



A partial list of the plants of the Loess Bluffs and their origin. 



W=Western. 



S=Southern. 



E=Eastern. 



Aplopappus (Aplopappus spinulosus) (W) 



Milk rush (Lygodesmia juncea) (W) 



Iron weed (Vernonia Neveboracensis) (S) 



Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) (S) 



Orange boneset (Kuhnia eupatorioides) (E) 



Blaeing star (Liatris punctata) (W) 



Gum weed (Grindelia squarrosa) (W) 



Golden rod (Solidago speciosa) (E) 



Golden rod (Solidago rupestris) (W) 



Golden rod (Solidago rigida) (E) 



Aster (Aster oblongifolius) (E) 



Aster (Aster sericeus) (E) 



Aster (Aster multitlorus) (E) 



Everlasting (Antennaria plantaginifolia) (E) 



Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) (E & S) 



