Part 6

Species stored. Grams.

Bouteloua rothrockii (nearly pure) 1,460 Bouteloua rothrockii (mixed with Aristida spp.) 945 Boerhaavia wrightii 660 Bouteloua rothrockii } Bouteloua aristidoides } 525 Aristida divaricata } Aristida bromoides } Kallstroemia laetevirens Tr. Heterotheca subaxillaris Tr. Plantago ignota 15 Fleshy fungi 10 ----- Total 3,615

Eight species of plants represented by seeds. One species of fleshy fungus in addition.

DEN 4.

September 20, 1918. In Calliandra type. Stony or gravelly soil, red, nearly denuded of grass.

Species stored. Grams.

Prosopis velutina 190 Mollugo verticillata (pure) 90 Anisolotus trispermus (mixed, but mostly of this genus) 50 Solanum elaeagnifolium (12 fruits) 2 Per cent. Mollugo verticillata (inseparable) 50 } Bouteloua rothrockii 1 } Bouteloua aristidoides 10 } Lepidium lasiocarpum Tr. } Polygala puberula Tr. } Ayenia microphylla 2 } Portulaca suffrutescens 1 } 400 Aplopappus gracilis Tr. } Alternanthera repens 1 } Tridens pulchella 1 } Plantago ignota 33 } Panicum hallii Tr. } Fleshy fungi (puffballs) 2 --- Total 734

Fifteen species represented in addition to the fleshy fungi. No perceptible grass growth from the summer rains here, therefore dependent on a wide variety of scattering plants.

DEN 6.

October 17, 1918. Mixed type, partially denuded, no growth from summer rains. Sandy soil.

Species stored. Grams.

Bouteloua rothrockii (crowns) (heads 1 to 2 per cent) 1,435 Bouteloua rothrockii (heads and crowns, about 50 per cent of each) 325 Bouteloua rothrockii (with small percentage of crowns) 315 Boerhaavia wrightii (with a few grass crowns) 150 Prosopis velutina 90 Solanum elaeagnifolium (3 fruits) Tr. ----- Total 2,315

Four species represented. Count of 100 grams of stored Bouteloua crowns gives 1,700, or 17 crowns per gram. At this rate there were at least 27,000 crowns stored in this burrow. If a density of 250 plants to the square yard be assumed (a high estimate) these crowns represent the total B. rothrockii on 104 square yards of range surface. Further examination of the vicinity of this den showed that the surrounding area was not completely cleared, but was devoid of B. rothrockii, while still having B. eriopoda with crowns undisturbed.

DEN 11.

April 9, 1919. In partially denuded land where good spring growth of Eschscholtzia was in bloom at time of excavation. Stomach of spectabilis killed in this burrow contained a mass of fresh but finely comminuted green material, probably poppy leaves, strongly colored with yellow from blossoms. No summer growth here in 1918.

Species stored. Grams.

Bouteloua rothrockii (crowns) (miscellaneous chaff, etc.) 107 Eschscholtzia mexicana (buds and flowers) } Anisolotus trispermus (leaves and pods) } Gaertneria tenuifolia (leaves) } 10 Lupinus sparsiflorus (flowers) } Solanum elaeagnifolium (2 fruits) Tr. --- Total 117

Six species represented, some only by leaves or flowers and not by seeds. Such storage is never in large quantity. The fresh storage material was weighed after becoming air dry. This illustrates a late spring condition, storage running low.

DEN 14.

August 8, 1919. Excellent summer growth all over range. This burrow in mixed growth, grasses and weeds.

Species stored. Grams.

Miscellaneous portions of green plants of mixed species, no seeds 5

Representing minimum for any one of the 22 burrows studied. Active storage does not begin until September.

DEN 16.

October 17, 1919. In good grass, but mound overrun by a large Apodanthera vine.

Species stored. Per cent. Grams.

Aristida divaricata 90 to 95 } Chamaecrista leptadenia 10 to 5 } 58 Bouteloua rothrockii Tr. } Prosopis velutina 200 Apodanthera undulata 55 --- Total 313

Five species represented. Two species, Apodanthera, and Chamaecrista leptadenia, new to storage records. Several whole fruits of Apodanthera, about 2 inches in diameter, stored in addition to seeds alone; seeds of this form not previously noted in burrows, but very abundant in this one, indicating importance of the factor of accessibility in storage.