PLANTS OF WESTERN LAKE ERIE. 
65 
internodes and very compact. Ohara sejuncta is the largest species here, and is 
notable for its long runners. 
Here Vaucheria tuberosa , a plant usually found in deeper water, grows on the 
sand in thick, compact tufts, and looks almost black at the bottom of 2 feet of water. 
No Phanerogams, save a few plants of Naim, grow in this bed of Characece , but 
nearer the channel, in deeper water, is a bank of Vallisnerm and Potamogeton. The 
current is slower here, and in many places the channel is entirely tilled with vegetation 
consisting mostly of Vallisneria , Ileteranthera graminea , Potamogeton pectvnatus, P. 
loncMtes , P. hccens, close along shore where the water is quiet, and P. per foliatus 
with some Nv/plidr and Nelumbium in about 3 feet of water. Nearer shore the entire 
channel is lined with Sagittaria rigida , which nearly everywhere occupies the deepest 
water within the zone of submersed forms. In quiet places there are beds of Elodea 
with Myriophyllwm , CeratoplvylPum , and TJtricidaria vulgaris , while Naias flexilis 
and Nitella polyglochin , which here grow long and slender, with open spreading- 
habit, are scattered everywhere between the stems of the larger plants in 1 to 2 feet 
of water. From the Sagittaria rigida zone, toward the land side, we come in succession 
to Scirpus fl/wviatilis, with a little S. pungens and S. lacustris , Sparganium eury- 
carpum , Typha latifolia , and Sagittaria latifolia. Dianthera americmia begins in 
about 18 inches of water and continues to the muddy shore, mixing, in 6 to 10 inches, 
with Scirpus atrovirens, Acorus calamus , Polygonum muhlenbergii , and Asclepias 
incarnata , while on the muddy shore it accompanies Phalaris arundinacea , Galuma - 
grostis canadensis , and Convolvulus septum. Everywhere on the water, between the 
larger plants, are Lenina minor and Lemna polyrhiza. 
A species of Sagittaria not in fruit, but probably S. latifolia , is mixed with the 
more landward specimens of Sagittaria rigida and continues toward the shore, its 
leaves becoming constantly broader as it approaches shallower water. On the wet 
bank groups of Hibiscus moscheutos make the swamp gay with their flowers. 
The swamp on the south side of the channel . — On the south side of the channel 
the swamp covers many acres and is overgrown with rush-like plants. The species 
are always somewhat mixed, but in each association some one tall species is clearly 
predominant. Sometimes the boundaries are sharply limited and this in spite of the 
fact that no differences in soil or in depth of water can be detected. Sagittaria ' 
rigida, which is nearest the open channel, gradually gives place to S. latifolia , which 
is mixed with a little Zizania aguatica and Sparganium. Following this is a broad 
zone of Scirpus lacustris of nearly pure growth, then Scirpus fuviatilis mixed with 
a little S. lacustris , which soon increases to a second broad belt mixed this time with 
some Sparganium. 
Throughout all these associations both Sagittaria rigida and S. latifolia occur, 
the latter being common. The water is about the same depth throughout this region, 
varying from 1 to 1.5 feet, and the bottom is a soft mud. The second zone of Scir- 
pus lacustris encircles and sharply limits a large bed of Sparganimn eurycarpum. 
The water here is a little deeper, being nowhere less than 1.5 feet, and the bottom 
seems softer, no other differences being noted. The Sparganvum is sparingly mixed 
with Pontederia cordata , Sagittaria rigida , S. latifolia , and a few plants of Scirpus 
lacustris and some Wetumbium. Beyond the border of Scirpus lacustris , which 
encircles this bed of Sparganium , is a bed of Typha latifolia in the same depth 
of water as the Scirpus. Naias flexilis grows among the taller plants, and other 
F. C. B. 1901—5 
