CHAPTER VIII 
SOME PRAIRIE FLOWERS 
If we compare a typical prairie flower like the goldenrod, 
aster, or coneflower, with a typical forest flower like the 
Canada violet, or with one growing in marshes like the dog 
violet, we see that the former is stronger and more robust. 
The stem is harder and stiffer and is usually more or less rough 
or hairy. This enables these plants to endure the drought 
and the strong winds to which they are occasionally sub- 
jected. With these hardy flowers the unbroken sward of 
our prairies is bedecked throughout the season. It would, 
no doubt, be appreciated by every lover of nature if we could 
help him to identify easily all of those that he may find in 
his neighborhood ; but this is manifestly impossible, as in 
North Dakota alone, for instance, about 800 wild plants 
have been listed and the majority of them grow on the 
prairies. 
We therefore describe only a few of the most character- 
istic species, arranging them approximately according to 
their season of blooming; and as a further help to the student 
in identifying specimens, we give color index at the be- 
ginning of the list. 
SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER 
1. Pasque Flower.— This is generally the most con- 
spicuous of our early prairie flowers. The name means 
Easter flower. In their favorite localities the large bluish 
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