90 STUDIES IN THE VEGETATION OF THE STATE 



eurods of high prairies and bluffs. SoUdago nemoralis, the 

 least of our goldenrods, is one of the most beautiful; the 

 ashen-gT-ay plants are gregario-copious, a few to several hun- 

 dred occurring in a patch. The dull purplish stems termi- 

 nate with large, one-sided, sparsely branched panicles, which 

 render groups of this plant very noticeable. It goes without 

 saying that the goldenrods are perennial. The latter plant, 

 8. nemoralis, also develops closed rosettes from near the 

 base of the old stem, which present the appearance of a rudi- 

 mentary mat. Aster oblongifolius and A. sericeus are xero- 

 phytes of Great ridge ; the latter species, A. sericeus, is con- 

 spicuous in the formation throughout its period of growth 

 on account of its silvery white, silky pubescence, and, 

 though the two species enjoy the same distribution, fre- 

 quence, and abundance, A., oilongifolius is rarely seen except 

 during anthesis. The flowers of both species are large (2-3 

 cm. broad) with numerous violet-purple or light blue 

 rays surrounding a disc of yellow, and are in striking 

 contrast with the sear brown or greenish brown prairie 

 facies. The individuals of both species tend to become loosely 

 aggregated; both are perennial and frequently form small 

 closed rosettes. 



Other xerophytes or species with xerophilous tendencies 

 are Laciniari-a scariosa, Kuhnia eupatorioides, Lygodesmia 

 juncea, Sporobolus asper, 8. heterolepis, and Eragrostis pec- 

 tinacea. Laciniaria scariosa is a xerophilous species of Great 

 ridge, with a very strong tendency to grow in low prairies, 

 where it becomes more robust and abundant. In the thirteen 

 quadrats, representing varied conditions, in which the plant 

 occurs, it maintains an average of seven individuals; how- 

 ever, in certain locations of the low prairies fifty plants have 

 been counted within the five-meter square. The hemispheric 

 heads of rose-purple flowers are produced on long, strict ra- 

 cemes, and so far as coloring the aspect is concerned this 

 plant ranks equally with the asters and goldenrods. The 

 blazing stars are perennial by means of tubers. Kuhnia 



