105 



to cross several miles of open marsh called" prairie." Over 

 most of it the water is shallow and densely choked with aquatic 

 vegetation, making it exceedingly difficult to push the boats 

 along. Only here and there are small open waterways and 

 trails or holes kept clear by the alligators. In places woody 

 plants, followed by trees have gained foothold, and in the more 

 advanced stages of this sort of formation mature cypress trees 

 {Taxodium imhricariiim and T. distichum) form the climax. 

 We may suppose that in this way the extensive cypress "bays" 

 have been formed from the open swamp in times past. The 

 soil in such places is only rarely exposed, at times of extreme 

 low water ; at all other times the trees stand with bases submerged 

 in the water. 



On passing across the prairie the following plants were ob- 

 served growing in greater or less numbers and seemed to be 

 characteristic flora of this particular habitat: 

 Wholly submersed society 



Utricularia purpurea Walt. 



U. suhulata L. 



Droscera capillaris Poir. (No flowers seen at this date.) 

 The stems floating without any roots or other attachments. 



Sphagnum sp. (Floating without any attachment.) 

 Partially submersed society: 



Nymphaea advena Soland. 



Castalia odorata (Ait.) Woodville & Wood. 



Castalia odorata var. gigantea (Tricker) Fernald. 



Saggitaria sp. 



Pontederia cordata var. angustijolia Torr. 



Orontium aquaticum L. 



Iris caroliniaria Wats. (Occasional along the margins of 

 the prairie). 



Woodwardia virginica (L.) Sm. (No fertile fronds yet). 



Sarracenia minor Walt. 



Calopogon pulchellus (Sw.) R. Br. (In flower). 



Limodoriim tuberosum L. 



Panicum digitarioides Carpenter (Maiden Cane). 



In the open prairie where the water has a depth of several 

 feet the major formation is Nymphaea and to a lesser extent, 

 Castalia with masses of floating lUriculaira and Sphagnum 



