3-U& 



554 /-* *-+• C REFORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Many local lists, and at least one State list, represent the work done 

 upon the flora of Indiana in the past. The work has in the main been 

 of excellent character and has served the purpose of furnishing to 

 botanists a fairly complete knowledge of the constituent members of 

 the State flora. The lists have, however, been mere lists, and no at- 

 tempt has been made to use the data thus obtained in any interpreta- 

 tive way. As a consequence they have been of no value to the general 

 public, nor have they in any way been serviceable to that class of our 

 population, the agriculturists, to whom a knowledge of the plant life 

 of the State is of the greatest significance. This statement is not made 

 in the spirit of criticism, but as furnishing a reason for the prepara- 

 tion of the present list of the native plants of the State, in which an 

 attempt is made to so use the data, as to give to the plants their real 

 significance in the interpreting of soil, moisture and temperature 

 conditions. 



It is believed that the message of the plants may be easily read by 

 those destitute of scientific training, if they but use their eyes, and 

 because of this belief, there has been a constant attempt to avoid 

 technical language and to discuss the significance of our common 

 plants in a way readily understood. 



Evidently a knowledge of the boundaries and general topography of 

 the area considered, is essential if we would thoroughly understand 

 the plant life of the State. The data for this part of the report are 

 drawn from Dr. Chas. E. Dryers "Indiana Geography," due credit 

 being given for the extracts made. 



Since all our soils, with the exception of humus, are derived from the 

 degradation of rocks, a discussion of the geology of the State in its 

 relation to soils has been necessary, the materials for this part of the 

 paper being drawn from various papers of State Geologist Blatchley. 

 Based upon this, an attempt is made to group plants characteristic of 

 certain types of soil in such a way, that whenever a particular assem- 

 blage of plants is seen the soil character may be inferred. 



But that the story of the plants may be intelligently re id, there 

 must be a fundamental understanding of the chief factors which 

 modify plant life and govern plant distribution. A brief disrassion of 

 these factors serves to divide the State into certain area? of fairly 



