102 
§ 106. Plants found in the Missouri Valley, lowa, in 1875. 
Dalea laxiflora, Pursh; abundant on the steep sand “Bluffs” at 
Missouri Valley Junction and at Crescent City, near C.& N.R.R., 
Aplopappus spinulosus, DC., (small form, Gray) abounds with the 
Dalea in the first mentioned locality; Astragalus Plattensis, Nutt., — 
is common at both. Euphorbia hexagona, Nutt., with E. serpens, 
H. B. K., and Oxybaphus alblidJus, [Sweet] and 0. angustifolius, 
Sweet, the first two common, the last two scarce on the Sioux City 
R. R. Missouri River Bottoms alone. Grindelia squarrosa, Dunal, 
near Council Bluffs, and Logan, Harrison Co. _ Yucca angustifolia, 
Pursh, abounds on the steep Sand Bluffs—so uniquely carved—near 
Little Sioux, and near Honey Creek (20 miles apart.) Oxytropis 
Lamberti, Pursh, abundant in similar situations, early. Desmanthus 
brachylobus, Benth., common in the rich Mo. R. Bottoms. Lonicera 
parviflora, Lam., not very common, in ravines along the “ Bluffs ” 
above. Nasturtium sinuatum, Nutt., rare. on the bank of the 
Chicago & N. W.R. R. Sisymbrium canescens, Nutt., becoming 
abundant along with above. Iva xanthifolia, Nutt., displacing 
Helianthus giganteus, L., along C. & N. W. R. R., with Arabis 
hirsuta, Scop., and A. laevigata, DC., for forty miles N. E. of 
Council Bluffs. Lathyrus palustris, L., var. myrtifolius, in rich 
ravines among hazel-brush. Gaura coccinea, Nutt., common only 
on steepest sand hills, Council bluffs, Crescent City, and Missouri 
Valley Junction, Veronica peregrina, L., scarce on R. R. track. 
With these are found; Paspalum leve, Mchx., Sporobolus cryp- 
tandrus, Gray, Cinna arundinacea, L., and Melica mutica, Walt. 
The above I consider a truly gorgeous list, and the man who 
has seen them in full bloom in their native habitat, is to be envied ! 
Those rich, cream-white Yuccas, with long panicles, in one group 
on the almost perpendicular hill-side; in another group, on the next 
“ Bluff,” the rich purple Oxytropis ; on another the rare, expansive, 
silky panicles of the Dalea, the yellow Aplopappus and Grindelia ; 
the white and red Gaura in the same romantic situation, with the 
common Phlox pilosa in still larger and more dazzling groups. All 
this splendor is set off by the rarely carved “ Bluffs” on which 
they grow, ever changing in form,—in one place the bright 
Euphurbia marginata, Pursh, struggling up the side, over the 
summit at last ! R. Buresss, 
§ 107. Letter from Mr. Hall.— * * * It may be interesting to 
the club to know that the ordinary edible artichoke (not the Jeru- 
salem artichoke, of course) is here cultivated, as in Franee and Italy, 
and is still known by its old Arabic name of ardi shauki, or eartb- 
thorn. I believe the lexicons give this as the original of the present 
names in English, French and Italian. The Portugese name is 
directly derived from another Arabic word. 
The Yucca militaris, or “Spanish bayonet,’ thrives well in 
Beirut. On the college grounds are several flourishing specimens. 
Two plants in the church-yard of the Anglo-American church 
blossom and fruit in abundance. Several species of the Cactus 
family thrive’ well out of doors, as do also many species of our hot- 
house geraniums. But some useful American or European plants 
