104 A Study of the Vegetation of 
The Eleocharis-Carex Associes 
This plant community covers areas along the flood plains of 
smaller streams which are wet during the rainy season but often 
quite dry during the late summer months. Likewise, about the 
borders of lakes and springs it occupies situations of lower water 
content than those characterized by Scirpus or Typha. 
The Eleocharis consocies is dominated by E. palustris. It some- 
times covers considerable areas with a pure growth (Fig. 31). 
Its rhizomes form extensive mats which abound at the edge of 
ponds as well as in the shallow water. Associated with it is E. 
acicularis. It likewise has well developed and extensive root- 
stocks, while those of FE. acicularis bella are very short so that 
the mats assume the form of dense round tufts. Because of its 
lesser height-growth the latter species is easily distinguishable 
from the former. 
Frequently occurring in mixture with Eleocharis are various 
sedges and rushes of the following community. 
The Carex-Juncus Mictium.—I have never seen in this region 
any considerable area dominated by one species of Carex or 
Juncus. However, a study of the fragmentary areas charac- 
terized by this community reveals the dominance of Carex ne- 
braskensis and Juncus balticus locally. More often the follow- 
ing species occur in a puzzling mictium: 
Carex lanuginosa Juncus bufonius 
Carex monile pacifica Juncus ensifolius 
Carex nebraskensis Juncus suksdorfu 
Carex pachystachya Juncus tenuis 
Juncus balticus 
In addition to relicts of the preceding communities, associated 
with the above species’ are to be found numerous other plants of 
which the most important are Beckmannia erucaeformis, Radic- 
ula curvisiliqua, Alopecurus californicus, Epilobium adenocaulon, 
Carex utriculata, and Mentha canadensis borealis. The last- 
named plant is very important ecologically. It has well devel- 
oped and extensive rhizomes. It not only thrives in very wet 
104 
