FLORA OF CANADA. 7 



The herbaceous vegetation is very rich, at least a hundred species 

 occurring nowhere else in Canada being found in the zone. A few of the 

 most conspicuous may be mentioned, viz.: Yellow Nelumbo or "Lotus 

 Flower" (Nelumbo lutea), May Apple (Podophyllum peltatum), Wild 

 Lupine (Lupinus perennis), Tick Trefoil (Desmodium), Flowering Spurge 

 (Euphorbia corollata), Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus Moscheutos), 

 Wild Pansy ( Viola Rafinesquii) , Prickly Pear (Opuntia Rafinesquii) , Poke 

 Milkweed (Asdepias phytolaccoides) , Wild Potato Vine (Ipomoea pan- 

 durata), Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa), Waterleaf (Hydrophyllumappendicu- 

 latum), Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), Foxglove (Gerardia pedicularia, G. 

 virginica), Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana), Great Lobelia (Lobelia 

 siphilitica) , Iron weed (Vernonia altissima, V. illinoensis) , Dense Button 

 Snakeroot (Liatris spicata), Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum) , 

 Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) , Sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus, H. 

 divaricatus) , Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris), Indian Plantain (Cacalia 

 tuber osa). Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis) and Ginseng (Panax 

 quinquefolium) were at one time abundant but are now practically 

 extinct. 



The Prairie. Under the general term prairie is understood the 

 vast grass-covered area of the. provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and 

 Alberta. It is bounded in the east and north by the sub-arctic forest 

 and in the west by the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. 



The prairie which begins a few miles east of Winnipeg had been sub- 

 divided into three zones, known as the first, second and third "Prairie 

 Steppes." 



First Prairie Steppe. This, as defined by Professor John Macoun, 

 includes "the low plain of Manitoba, bounded by a line of elevated 

 country; which commences at the international boundary, at a point some 

 distance west of Emerson, and extends northwestwardly under the names 

 of Pembina, Riding, Duck, Porcupine and Pas mountains." 



The southeastern part of the area so defined differs from the true 

 prairie in that it is characterized by many woodland plants which have 

 their home east of the Great Lakes, but occur rarely, if at all, between 

 Lake Huron and the Manitoba border, for instance, Nettle Tree (Celtis 

 occidentalis), }$3.ssvfood (Tilia americana) , Wild Plum (Prunus americana) , 

 Hawthorn (Cratosgus species), Virginia Creeper (Psedera quinquefolia) , 

 Climbing Bitter-Sweet (Celastrus scandens), Wild Grape (Vitis vulpina), 

 Moonseed (Menispermum canadense), l$\oodroot(Sanguinaria canadensis), 

 Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Hog Peanut (Amphicarpa monoica), 

 Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense), "Prickly Cucumber" (Echinocystis 

 lobata), Gentian (Gentiana procera), Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis), 

 Indian Paint Brush (Castilleja coccinea), Ox-eye (Heliopsis scabra), 

 Cone-flower (Rudbeckia laciniata), etc. 



