62 Alpine Characteristics of the Coteau des Prairies. 



ground than the other prairie species of Pentstemon. Be- 

 sides this, Pentstemon albidus Nutt. and Pentstemon hirsu- 

 tus (L.) Willd. were noticeable for their stunted preference 

 of high morainish ground. 



Many composites are, of course, to be included in this 

 category. The peculiar forms of the different species of 

 Laciniaria have been mentioned in a preceding paper.* 

 Solidago nemoralis Ait. and S. mollis Bartl. were found 

 flowering at from three to ten inches. The latter with its 

 upright, rigid hoary-pubescent leaves, and its strict, dense 

 thyrse is especially, noteworthy. Kuhnia cupatorioides L. 

 growing in bunches, stout and somewhat approaching the 

 var. corymhulosa Torr. and Gray is very abundant ; as also 

 the purple cone flower Brauneria pallida (Nutt.) Britt. with 

 its club-shaped stems. The latter was found completely ma- 

 tured and only six or eight inches high. 



Gaura coccinea Nutt. was rarely found with branching, 

 somewhat caespitose habit. Two mustards attracted my 

 attracted my attention. Erysimum asperum DC, which 

 often flowers at from five to six inches on the high shores of 

 Lake Benton ; and Sisymbrium incisum Englm., found in the 

 shade of dwarfed oaks. 



The appearance of the latter is quite remarkable in Min- 

 nesota, although there is no reason why we should not ex- 

 pect to find other Rocky-mountain mustards on these paririe 

 heights . 



Plantago purshii R. & S. has frequently been observed 

 flowering at from three-fourths to one inch high, both on the 

 crest and at Pipestone quarries twelve miles away. 



Many grasses came to my notice. Boutelona racemosa 

 Lag. and Boutelona hirsuta Lag. were found to range from 

 three to seven inches in height at the time of flowering. 



Aristida purpurea Nutt., with its long triple awned 

 seeds, looking more like a bunch of miniature pitch-forks 

 than anything I can conceive, was abundant, as also Stipa 

 spartea Trin., with its droll habit of having its seeds bore 

 their way down into the soil. 



Sporobolus depauperatus Vasey and Andropogon sco- 



*See these Bulletins, vol. iii, No. 3. 



