NATURE STUDY. 



PUBIJSHKD UNDKR THE AUSPICES OP THE 



Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences. 



Vol. IV. May, 1904. No. 12. 



Our Legal '' State Flower.' 



BY JOSEPH N. PROKES. 



Minnesota, the Northstar state, derives its name from 

 the river as called by the Indian tribe of Dakotas, " Mini- 

 sota," meaning in their language, water sky-colored, ap- 

 plied to the stream iti its natural .state in the summer sea- 

 sons, after the waters were cleared from the roiling caused 

 by the spring floods. 



Within the basin of this magnificent Minnesota river, 

 one thousand one hundred and sevent3^-four species and 

 varieties of flowering plants are known, and have been 

 collected for the herbarium of the Minnesota State Uni- 

 versity, and constitute a valuable collection for the in- 

 crease and diffusion of knowledge. 



Of the one thousand five hundred eightj^-two species as 

 found within the boundary of the state, a plant of the 

 Orchis family, called Cypripedium, was chosen for the 

 State Flower. Six species which bloom from May to July 

 are found in Minnesota, namely : the C. candidum, Muhl., 



