\^ O T A « { e . 



giving, on tlie whole, the best iiiiironn classification, in accorcKhicrfwith 

 recent views, that is accessible to all. It will be necessary, however, 

 to reverse the order (jf the book, and pass from the higher to the lower 

 forms, so as to make the added part of the catalogue continuous with 

 the portion already published. 'I'he particular arrangement to be ob- 

 served for species will jje anno. meed for each order when the first list 

 under it is published. 



The ijresent contribution contains all the pteridoi)hytes or vascular 

 cryptogams at ])resent known to occur in the State. The orders are 

 arranged according to IJessey's "Botany," and the genera and species 

 according to Underwood's "Our Native Ferns and their .'\.llies," a most 

 valuable work.* The list is considered tjuite comi)lete, being much 

 larger than has before been accredited to the State. The following 

 named ferns, however, may quite confidently be exjjected to occur 

 within our borders, and the attention of collectors is specially directed 

 to their detection : Cheilaiithcs vestita, Aspleniuin ebcneum^ A. TricJio- 

 manes, Phegopteris Dryopteris, Asp id in in Noveboracense, A. fi/ix-inas, 

 A. tnarginale, A. cristatiim^ A. cristatiim, var. CUntonianum. 



The present list only covers, geographically, about one-half the State. 

 If a nearly straight line be drawn from the northwest to the southeast 

 corner, it will pretty accurately separate the eastern portion, the pteri- 

 doi^hytic flora of which is cjuite well known, from the western portion, 

 from which no specimens have yet been received. The northwestern 

 part of the State consists almost wholly of treeless prairies, with few 

 localities suitable to the growth of ferns and allied iilants. What the 

 rest of the western part of the State affords must be determined by 

 future ex[)lorations. The State as a whole is not a favored one for such 

 plants. They are most nuinerous, in both species and individuals, 

 along the Mississippi River, and become fewer as we pass westward. 

 The peculiarity of the flora is well indicated in the sparseness of lyco- 

 pods and selaginellas, but one locality being known for the only species 

 of Lycopodium yet reported, and only two localities with few individuals 

 for the single Selaginella. 



Much credit is due the several collectors for the trouble they have 

 taken to obtain and forward specimens. Those communicating mate- 

 rial for the present contribution are as follows : R. I. Cratty, of Arm- 

 strong, Emmet county j E. W. Holway, of Decorah; John Leiberg, 

 late of Mankato, Minnesota; Prof. C. E. Bessey, of Ames; Prof, and 



*To be ol)t:iined of the iiuthor, Prof. L. M. I'nderwood, Syratuse, N. V.; price, $1.^5. 



