The Ohio naturalist, Vol. I, No. 6, April, 1901Ohio State University. Biological Club
History
The Ohio naturalist, Vol. I, No. 6, April, 1901
Ohio State University. Biological Club
Natural history -- Ohio -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
Space will allow reference to but few of the interesting and rarer
plants. On Cedar Point and a few other places the Prickly pear, Opuntia
humifusa, appears in great abundance, but is reported for no other
stations in Ohio. The illustration (Fig. 1) shows a patch of this plant,
and also indicates the sparse vegetation in the open sandy Black Oak
woods of Cedar Point. Here we found three specimens of the rare Lea’s
Oak, one fine specimen of the common Juniper (Juniperus communis), two
specimens of the Sand cherry (Prunus pumila), none of which are given in
the “Sandusky Flora” for this place, and one only—the Juniper—for
Catawba. Of other rare or specially interesting plants for this point
the following may be mentioned: Ammophila arenaria, Panicum virgatum,
Salix glaucophylla, Salix sericea, Euphorbia polygonifolia, Pinus
strobus, Stipa spartea, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Lepargyraea
canadensis, Œnothera rhombipetala, Artemisia caudata, Arctostaphylos
uvaursi, Symphoricarpus pauciflorus, Utricularia gibba and Lacinaria
scariosa.
By no means the least interesting vegetation on Cedar Point are the dune
plants, many species of arenophilous species, and efficient soil
binders. Some idea of the appearance of a few of such plants may be
gained from the cut (Fig. 2), which shows one of the sand hills held
exclusively by the roots of the Red Cedar. Other similar hillocks are
held by one of the wild grape vines, Vitis vulpina, and many other
plants. The tufts of some of the grasses, especially Panicum virgatum,
can be seen in the same illustration.
At Marblehead and Catawba the flora is equally rich in local and
interesting plants. Huge Buckeyes occur, one of which measures nine feet
and two inches in circumference. The Red Oaks are numerous and
remarkably variable in their fruits. There occurs Zygadena elegans and
Kœleria cristata, Meibomia illonoensis, Solanum rostratum, and
Picradenia acaulis—all western species. The Lakeside Daisy, as the
Picradenia has been locally named, is especially attractive. It occurs
in one place in Illinois, but otherwise known only far west of the
Mississippi river.
Elsewhere, and especially in the prairie region of Erie county, there
occur such rare species as Aletris fainosa, Aristida gracilis and A.
purpurascens, Salix candida, Prunus cuneata, Psoralea pedunculata,
Rhexia virginica, Eryngium yuccifolium, Asclepias obtusifolia and A.
sullivantii, and Helianthus mollis.
The bay is even richer, presenting acres and acres of Nelumbo,
Sagittaria, Potamogetons, Rushes, Reeds, Duckweeds, Polygonum,
Ceratophyllum, and others too numerous to mention. The innumerable and
unenumerated Algae must not go unmentioned—here, as in many other lines,
the enthusiastic students will reap a rich harvest.
[Illustration:
_Plate 8._
FIG. 1.—PRICKLY PEAR IN WOODS OF BLACK OAK, CEDAR POINT.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 2.—SAND HELD BY THE ROOTS OF RED CEDAR.
KELLERMAN ON PLANTS OF CEDAR POINT.
]
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