IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 197 



THE GENUS VIBURNUM IN IOWA. 



BY T. J. AND M. F. L. FITZPATRICK. 



Our Viburnums are few in number of species and rapidly- 

 becoming scarce in the number of individuals. They are to be 

 found in the wooded portions, mostly eastern, of the state. 

 The fruits of some are edible but have not been considered 

 promising enough to warrant cultivation. 



Viburnum lentago L. This is our most frequent and most 

 widely distributed species. It seems to prefer low woods, along 

 streams. Its white showy flowers appear in May and the bluish- 

 black fruit, often, a half inch or more in length, matures in 

 September. The stones are very flat and oval. The fruit of 

 this species is sweet and edible and perhaps with proper care 

 could be greatly improved, while the ornamental aspect of the 

 species appeals to all. We have collected the species in Winne- 

 shiek, Allamakee, Johnson, Jefferson, Decatur, and Union 

 counties. We have observed it in Dubuque and Appanoose 

 counties and have examined specimens in the S. U. I. herbar- 

 ium which were collected in Emmet, Delaware, Muscatine, 

 Winnebago and Pottawattamie counties. It has been reported 

 from Fayette (Fink), Scott (Nagel and Haupt), Story (Hitch- 

 cock), Humboldt (Macbride), and Floyd (Arthur) counties. 



Arthur's Flora of Iowa, edition 1876, p. 16; Proc. Iowa Acad, 

 of Sciences, Vol. 4, p. 90; Vol. 5, pp. 117 and 147; Vol. 6, p. 

 186; Flora of Iowa, p. 69; Iowa Geological Survey, Vol. 7, p. 

 106: Vol. 8, p. 197; Vol. 9, pp. 151 and 385; Macbride Forestry 

 notes of Dubuque county, p. 21, Iowa Geol. Sur., Vol. 10; 

 Trans. St. Louis Acad, of Science, Vol. 5, p. 497. 



Viburnum prunifolium L. This species much resembles the 

 preceding, from which it differs in ovate or oval obtuse or 

 acutish leaves and slightly smaller fruit. It is reputed to 

 have been formerly quite frequent. It is now very rarely col- 

 lected. It is said to be still frequent in our southern counties 

 but we have not detectad it, more probably the southeastern 

 counties are meant. We have rarely collected the species in 



