368 Prairie Flora 



in wet meadows, and Potentilla paradoxa has been collected at Big 

 Stone lake. Galium boreale is a very common valley plant in the 

 latter part of June. When in full bloom it frequently whitens acres 

 of land at a time. Thot cosmopolite, Achillea millefolium, is also 

 found. Scrophularia leporella Bicknell is frequently found on the 

 edges of valleys. Myosurus minimus is a very rare plant in this re- 

 gion, but it has been collected at Ortonville r.nd Montevideo. Camel- 

 ina sativa has been collected on the railroad right of way at Monte- 

 video. Prunus pumila has been collected at the foot of Big Stone 

 lake, and on the Leaf hills in Otter Tail county. Perhaps the shrub 

 found at the latter location is Prunus cuneata Raf. The common cor- 

 nel found in the valleys here seems to be Cornus stolonifera Michx. 

 The fact that it is not stoloniferous has led Dr. Rydborg to propose 

 for it the varietal name of interior. Cardamine hiilhosa is frequently 

 found in spring brooks. 



The July flora is not so conspicuous. The two sweet clovers, 

 Melilotus offtcinalis and Melilotus alba, both introduced plants, are 

 blooming on waste grounds. In similar locations Lappula virginiana 

 a distinguished looking plant when young, is producing its inconspicu- 

 ous flowers jor ripening its prickly-barbed fruit, a sad disappointment 

 to one who has watched its growth. Euphorbia marginata Pursh is 

 not common in this region, but is found on the southwesterly edge of 

 our area growing in alluvial soil. Lobelia spicata hirtella is common 

 in valley meadows. Teucrium occidentale Gray, or its variety bore- 

 ale (Bicknell) Fernald, is found at the foot^of bluffs where the soil is 

 rich. Apocynum androsemifolium is now blooming in open places, 

 and Apocynum cannabinum in its variety hypericifoUum is found along 

 the edges of timber land. Echinocystis lobata is twining its graceful 

 stems over shrubs and fences, opening its long racemes of pale flow- 

 ers in profusion. Uiricularia vulgaris in its variety americana is 

 thrusting up its yellow flowers in marshy ponds; Erigeron philadeplhi- 

 cus is blooming in moist places, while the small flowered Erigeron 

 ramosus is blooming on dry bench lands. Other Compositae are now 

 beginning to bloom, ^ylphium perfoliatum in rich alluvial soil, Veronia 

 fasciculata in low grounds, and Eupatorium purpurem in still mois-. 

 ter places. 



August shows many more blooming plants. Perhapy the rarest 

 of these is Cassia Chamaecrista found on the river banks at Granite 

 Falls. Scutellaria lateriflora is blooming in wet places, while Ranun- 

 culus pennsylvanica is ripening its fruit in similar locati:)ns. At the 

 foot of bluffs are found Yerbena hastata, Verbena, atricta, Verbena 

 urticaefoUa and at Big Stone lake Verbena bracteosa. The pink um- 

 bels of Allium stellatum are now seen on rocky banks everywhere. 

 Sisymbrium officinale is ripening its seeds in waste places, while 

 Sisymbrium altissimum is becoming a troublesome weed along railway 

 tracks and in grain fields. Plantago major is exceedingly common 

 and was doubtless a native here. Guscuta gronovii, Gu6cuta glomer^ 

 aia and perhaps Guscuta arvensis are found on various plants, mostly 

 Compositae. Hicracium umbellatum is quite a rare plr.nt in this 

 region, but has been collected at Big Stone lake. It is believed that 

 Artemisia graplialodes has been collected in the valleys here, but as 



