HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 191 



4. Pycnaiitkeinum laueeolatum. — Pursh. This is a species of 

 "basil" or "mountain mint;" grows abundantly, about one and a 

 half feet high; flowers in terminal heads; hairy, nearly white, with 

 dots and a shade somewhat purplish; upper lip with a notch; lower 

 lip three iobed; stem much branched, form angular, with angles 

 pubescent; leaves drooping, lance shaped and close to stem; heads 

 of flowers small, in numerous clusters; sweet scented; plant has a 

 taste similar to pennyroyal, for which it is used as a substitute, 

 answering a good purpose. 



There are a great many Leguminous plants natives of this 

 state. Of this numerous family I can mention but a few. 



]. Petalostemon. (Prairie clover.) The Petalostemon candi- 

 dus, P. violaceum and P. villosum. The first two are found side 

 by side on oar prairies; the P. villousm is only found on exposed 

 sandy banks. They have odd pinnate leaves; dotted with glands, 

 small stipules — a one seeded membranaceous pod. The main 

 distinguishing feature of the genus is the arrangement of the 

 five petals. Four of them are borne on the top of the sheath of 

 filaments; and the fifth one or standard, is inserted in the bottom 

 of the calyx Violaceum is rose purple, candidum is white flower- 

 ed. The heads of both species, cylindric, about one inch long. 

 The other species, Villosum is silky — villous; has purple flowers, 

 and a long tapering head. If is a fine showy plant, and worthy of 

 a place in our gardens. The violaceum has a fine aromatic odor, 

 somewhat like thyme, when bruised. 



Amorpha Canescens. — Nuttall. This is the famous lead plant. 

 It grows abundantly in soils made up partly of the debris of mag- 

 nesian limestones, and hence as lead ore is peculiar to these 

 rocks, the lead plant, was supposed to indicate the presence of 

 lead ore. It has a one seeded pod, the plant is easily known by hav- 

 ing but one petal instead of five, as is usual with Leguminous 

 flowers. This petal is the standard; leaflets are marked with 

 minute dots. Flowers dark violet, crowded in a cluster on terminal 

 spikes. 



Amorpha frntieosa. Larger, taller, and not whitened with 

 hoary down. Only found on river banks and shores of lakes. 

 Pod two seeded. Otherwise like the Canescens. A handsome 

 plant — sometimes called False Indigo. 



Liatris. — Schrebee. Blazing Star. Gay feather, button snake- 

 root. Several species of the Liatris are natives of Minnesota and 

 on account of their beauty and abundance they deserve es- 

 pecial mention. The Liatris is a genus of plants of the com- 

 posite family, distinguished by heads of handsome rose purple 

 flowers ; five lobed corolla — stem resinous, dotted, alternate, 

 riged, entire leaves. 



Liatris cylindracea is found on dry, open prairies, only twelve 

 or eighteen inches high, with grass-like leaves from one to twelve 

 inches long. The head is cylindrical and the pappus is feathery- 

 plumose. Flowers bright purple; scales of involucre rounded with 

 a short, bristly point. 



Liatris scariosa. Gay feather, grows in woods and brush lands, 



