268 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



215. HISPID GREENBRIER 



SMILAX HISPIDA Muhl. 



Quite common about the lake; some on the beach on the flat 

 place east of Lakeview hotel, some large vines in the low woods 

 below Farrar's, some in the low ground north of Overmyer's field 

 and some on the west shore of the lake not far from Scovell's. In 

 sheltered woods the leaves remain green far into the winter, mak- 

 ing verdant bowers in the barren woodlands quite conspicuous in 

 the deciduous forests surrounding the lake. Although endogenous 

 in structure, the wood of the stem is perhaps not equalled in hard- 

 ness by any of our native woods. We have nothing that will ap- 

 proach it for prickliness and the bristles are very hard and brittle. 



Family 28. Amaryllidace^e. Amaryllis Family 

 216. yellow star-grass 



HYPOXIS HIRSUTA (L.) Coville 



Quite abundant, scattered through the grass in sandy moist 

 ground. May 12, 1901, in flower along the railroad. May 22 in 

 flower almost everywhere in sandy ground, especially near the birch 

 swamp. 



Family 29. Dioscoreace^e. Yam Family 

 217. wild yam-root 



DIOSCOREA VILLOSA L. 



Not very common. A small patch on the south shore of the 

 lake, in a swamp across from Murray's west of the railroad, and 

 in a swale in Zechiel's woods across the railroad from the birch 

 swamp. The thin veiny heart-shaped blossoms are inconspicuous 

 but the pistillate ones are followed by papery 3-angled pods which 

 droop in graceful racemes, which persist not only through the 

 winter but until worn away by the weather. 



These pods, which are of a fine silky texture and quite various 

 in shape, elongate or rounded and of various shades of brown, are, 

 in the wintry season, among the prettiest things outdoors. The 

 plant is worthy of cultivation on trellisses for the attractiveness of 

 its fruits. 



Family 30. Iridace^e. Iris Family 



218. LARGER BLUE-FLAG 



IRIS VERSICOLOR L. 



Common in marshy open places, especially in the Inlet region, 

 north of Lost Lake, and along the outlet. It sometimes grows 



