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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



only along the principal water courses 

 where sufficient moisture was present 

 the year around for them to maintain a 

 foothold. 



The characteristic grassland vegeta- 

 tion of this savanna region may best be 

 considered under a few sub-headings 

 as follows: 



(a) High Rolling Grassland Flora: 

 The principal species of this association 

 were: slender wheat grass (Agropyron 

 tenerum), awned wheat grass (A. cani- 

 num), western wheat grass (A. Smithii), 

 rye grass (Elymus canadensis), crested 

 hair grass (Koeleria cristata), porcupine 

 grass (Stipa spaitea), forked beard grass 

 (Andropogon furcatus), brown "beard- 

 grass (A. scoparius), Indian grass 

 (Sorghastrum nutans), purple love-grass 

 (Eragrostis pectinacea) , Pursh's love- 

 grass (Eragrostis Purshii), switch grass 

 (Panicum virgatum), hairy mes quite 

 grass (Bouteloua hirsuta), grama grass 

 (B. oligostachya), tall grama grass (B. 

 curtipendula) , buffalo grass (Buchloe 

 dactyloides) , sedges (Car ex pennsylvanica 

 C. festucacea) , blue-eyed grass (Sisyrin- 

 chium campestre), yellow star grass 

 (Hypoxis hirsuta), Pasque flower (Anem- 

 one patens var. Wolfgangiana), Anem- 

 one (Anemone cylindrical, prairie 

 larkspur (Delphinium Penardi), prairie 

 crowfoot (Ranunculus rhomboideus) , 

 prairie rose (Rosa arkansana), tall 

 cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta), alum root 

 (Heuchera hispida), ground plum (Astra- 

 galus caryocarpus) , milk vetch (Astra- 

 galus canadensis) , prairie apple (Psoralea 

 escunlenta), prairie clover (Petalostemum 

 purpureum, P. candidum, P. villosum), 

 lead plant (Amorpha canescens), tick- 

 trefoil (Desmodium canadense), prairie 

 violet (Viola pedatifida), birdsfoot violet 

 (Viola pedata), flowering spurge (Euphor- 

 bia corollata), Phlox (Phlox pilosa), 

 ground cherry (Physalis longifolia), 

 puccoon (Lithospermum canescens}, 

 lady's tobacco (Antennaria plantagini- 

 folia), ox-eye (Heliopsis scabra), sun- 

 flower (Helianthus scaberrimus), blazing 

 star (Liatris scariosa), golden-rods (Soli- 

 dago missouriensis, S. nemoralis, S. 



rigida, S. canadensis), Asters (Aster 

 multiflorus, A. commutatus, A. azureus). 



(b) The prairie meadow: In these 

 situations occurred a limited number of 

 species, mostly grasses, demanding a 

 moister habitat than that of the high 

 rolling prairie. The characteristic 

 plants were: holy grass (Hierochloe 

 odorata), Scribner's panicum (Panicum 

 Scribnerianum) , red top (Agrostis alba), 

 Canada blue grass (Poa compressa), 

 fowl meadow grass (Poa tri/lora), tall 

 marsh grass (Spartina cynosuroides) 

 and wild onion (Allium canadense). 



(c) Wet meadow and marsh flora: 

 In the wet meadows, marshes and 

 sloughs flourished sedges, rushes, and 

 bulrushes, together with a considerable 

 number of other hydrophytic species 

 and shallow water forms of which the 

 principal ones were: arrowhead (Sagit- 

 taria latifolia), cat-tail (Typha lati- 

 folia), bur-reed (Sparganium eurycar- 

 pum), reed (Phragmites communis), 

 sedges (Carex vulpinoidea, C. gravida, 

 C. cephaloidea) , bulrushes (Scirpus 

 fluviatiiis, S. polyphullus, S. americanus, 

 etc.), spike-rush (Eleocharis palustris, 

 E. acicularis), yellow water crowfoot 

 (Ranunculus delphinifolius) , white water 

 crowfoot (R. aquatilis), water persicaria 

 (Polygonum amphibium), yellow water 

 cress (Radicula palustris), swamp milk- 

 weed (Asclepias incarnata), water hem- 

 lock (Cicuta maculata), water parsnip 

 (Sium cicutaefolium) , tufted loosestrife 

 (Lysimachia thrysiftora), mare's tail 

 (Hippurus vulgaris), begger-ticks 

 (Bidens frondosa), and stick-tight 

 (Bidens cernua). 



(d) Fauna of the Savannas: Forest 

 animals frequenting small groves, open 

 spaces, and stream skirting forest: elk, 

 mule deer (Odocoilus hemionus) (extreme 

 western part only, now wanting), rac- 

 coon, chipmunk, skunk, red fox. 



Forest edge (thicket) species. 



Franklin ground squirrel (Citellus 

 franklinii), jumping-mouse (Zapus hud- 

 sonius), rose-breasted grosbeak, yellow 

 warbler, indigo bunting, yellow-billed 

 cuckoo, house wren, mourning dove, 



