1898.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 41 



Madura aurantiaoa Nutt. 



[No label. Sterile specimen.] 



Betula ! 



Black alder of the Pacific 

 Ocean ; grows to a large size. 

 March 26, 1806. [Specimens 

 consist only of fragmentary ster- 

 ile catkins.] 31 

 (Juercus Garryana Dougl. 



A sort of White Oak. Colum- 

 bia, March 26, 1806. 



Quercus macrocarpa Michx. 



No. 34. The leaf of oak which 

 is common to the prairies. 5th 

 Sept., 1804. Common to the 

 prairies, Sept. 5, 1804. 



32 



81 Alnus rubra Bongard. 



'' Black Alder of the Pacific Ocean, grows to a large size : March 26, 1806.' r 

 The leaves and catkins have been wholly destroyed, except a portion of one 

 male anient and the naked branch. But there is little doubt of the accuracy 

 of the determination. The Journal says of it : " The Black Alder arrives to 

 a great size It is simple branching and diffuse — the bark is smooth and of a 

 light color, with white spreading shoots resembling those of the beech, the' 

 leaf and fructification resemble precisely the common alder of our country. 

 The shrubs grow separately from different roots, not in clusters like those of 

 the United States. The Black Alder does not cast its leaves till December 

 1st. It is sometimes growing to the height of 60 or 70 feet, and from two to 

 four feet in diameter.'' 

 32 Quercus macrocarpa var. depressa Engel. 



"The leaf of oak, which is common to the prairies, September 5, 1804." 

 The Journal says : ' September 5th, when 4.} miles from White Point Creek, 

 the Rapid River (now Niobrara) a beautiful plain on the upper side where 

 the Pawnees once had a village, we camped just above it (now in South 

 Dakota in the Pinca Reservation). The place where we halted is a fine low 

 ground with much timber, such as Red Cedar, Honey Locust, Oak, Arrow- 

 head, Elm and Coffee Nut." On September loth is again recorded, "our 

 camp is in a beautiful plain (opposite what is now Brule City) with timber 

 scattered thinly for | mile, consisting chiefly of Elm, Cottonwood, some Ash 

 of indifferent quality, and a considerable quantity of a species of White Oak. 

 This tree seldom rises higher than 30 feet, and branches very much. The 

 bark is thick and of a light color. The leaves are small, deeply indented and 

 of a light green. The cup which contains the acorn is fringed on the edges, 

 and embraces it about one half. The acorn itself, which grows in great pro- 

 fusion, is of excellent flavor, and has none of the roughness which most acorns 

 possess These acorns are now falling, and have probably attracted the large 

 number of deer which we saw in this place, as all the animals we have seen 

 are fond of that food." The travellers were not botanists, but a specialist 

 could not have drawn a better description of Quercus macrocarpa var. depressa^ 

 The specimen in the collection has come through in excellent condition. 



4 



