136 



they strongly resemble in distinctness the island keys in the 

 water to the south of the mainland. To the north the typical 

 Everglade country gradually merges into the somewhat drier 

 terrain of the prairie. To the west and northwest it becomes 

 cypress swamp. Only a few of the common plants one sees in 

 driving along the canals can be mentioned here. 



Springing up here and there in the Saw-grass is the Ground- 

 sel tree, Baccharis hamilifolia, and, B. glomerulifolia. The 

 former is common in our northern salt marshes. It is one of the 

 few shrubs of the composite family. Marsh Fleabane, Pluchea 

 purpurascens, is a common herb with compound blossoms of a 

 purplish color. It so closely resembles our own species that it 

 is easily recognized. 



Growing in the shallow water of the canals and in the small 

 ponds of the Everglades is our familiar Pickerel Weed or Wam- 

 pee, Pontedaria lanceolata, with its spikes of bright blue flowers 

 while contrasted with it is Arrow-head, Sagittata lancefolia, 

 bearing a tall cluster of large white blossoms. The large leaves 

 give the plant its common name. 



In many parts of the canals the water is completely covered 

 with a dark green mass of Water Hyacinth, Piaropus crassipes, 

 a cause of sulphurous language to the boatman but a pleasure 

 to the eye of the nature lover. Its roots hang suspended in the 

 water and a large cluster of pale blue flowers arises from the 

 short stem. Wild ducks eat the foliage eagerly. In other parts 

 our common Spatter-dock or yellow Water-lily, Nymphaea ad- 

 vena, covers the water with its large, rather coarse yellow blos- 

 soms. 



In the more prairie-like parts of the Everglades many acres 

 may be covered with various species of Sabbatia, many of 

 them with large delicate pink blossoms in striking contrast to 

 the grass in which they are scattered. Other species are smaller 

 and some have white flowers. 



Perhaps the most striking of all is the Alligator Lily, Hy- 

 menocallis. It is easily recognized by its very large and peculiarly 

 shaped white blossoms. The lobes of the perianth are very long 

 and narrow rising from a tube four inches or more long, the 

 whole blossom being eight inches across. The bases of the 

 stamens are connected by a broad membrane. 



Not only in the Everglades but also in almost any low, open, 



