338 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



431. PARTRIDGE PEA; LARGE-FLOWERED SENSITIVE PEA 



CHAMAECRISTA FASCICULATA (Michx.) Greene 



A few plants were noted near Murray's in 1900, a few of the 

 later flowers still persisting on September 24. Of recent years it 

 has increased greatly in abundance, but all at one place, the Gravel- 

 pit, and north of it, where it makes large dense patches in the 

 barren gravel. When in bloom, these patches are quite showy. 

 In some places in the country, especially in dry sandy soils, the 

 plant is so abundant as to make whole stretches of landscape an 

 unbroken yellow. The Lake Maxinkuckee plants have stout pubes- 

 cent stems and appear to belong to the subspecies robusta Pollard, 

 which is listed as a southern form. 



The leaves, though said to be sensitive, are rather feebly so. 

 There is a peculiar black gland on the base of each leaf-stock. 

 What the function of this gland is it would be difficult to say. 

 Ants have been observed to go regularly from one to another, 

 obtaining food. Whether they are kept from molesting the flowers 

 by procuring food lower down at the leaf -stalks has not been de- 

 termined. 



432. KENTUCKY COFFEE-TREE; COFFEE-NUT 



GYMNOCLADUS DIOICA (L.) Koch 



Scattered in woodlands east of the lake ; one tree near the lake 

 a little north of the Maxinkuckee road. A little distance up the 

 Maxinkuckee road is the stump of a very large tree, perhaps two 

 feet in diameter. It is usually a very tall slender tree of too small 

 a diameter to be of value for lumber. The heart wood is a pleasing 

 color of brown. Found in flower on the east side of the lake June 

 5, 1901. The flowers are inconspicuous on account of their green- 

 ish color, but are remarkably fragrant, and the long corolla tubes 

 are usually split open by bumblebees or other insects which visit 

 them. Northeast of the lake some trees were found January 3, 

 1905, with a remarkably heavy crop of fruit. The coffee-nut tree 

 is usually found within the flood-basin of creeks or rivers. Both 

 the green pulp surrounding the seeds and the yellow kernel of the 

 seeds are reputed to be poisonous. 



FAMILY 79. FABACE^E. PEA FAMILY 



433. LARGE WHITE WILD INDIGO 



BAPTISIA LEUCANTHA T. & G. 



Scattered, in dry sandy places. Found by Lakeview Hotel, and 

 rather common in Green's woods by Lost Lake. In flower in 



