120 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



Mr. Goddard writes, July 7, 1899, "This specimen was 

 found by Mr. Holwayand Mr. H. E. Case growing on the 

 top of a bluff in open woods or thin brush, far from any 

 house, and one mile northwest of Decorah, the other side 

 of the river and three-quarters to one mile from the river. 

 Mr. Holway says that it had every appearance of being 

 native. No more than one specimen has ever been found." 



We have no doubt of the identity of the specimen 

 as it agrees with the description and compares well with 

 specimens received from the northeastern portion of the 

 United States. The species is commonly known as Purple 

 Virgin's Bower. 



Prof. Macbride informs us that many years ago he col- 

 lected this species in Delaware county and that at that time 

 it was of not infrequent occurrence. No specimens were 

 preserved and the species has since disappeared. 



Fitzpatrick, Manual of the Flowering Plants of Iowa, p. 139. 



Myosurus minimus L. Sp. PL, p. 284. 1753. Mouse- 

 tail. 



A small annual herb, 1-6 inches high, glabrous. Leaves 

 linear, basal, tufted, entire. Scapes 1-flowered. Sepals 

 5, spurred. Petals small, narrow. Stamens usually many. 

 Pistils numerous. Achenes numerous, on an elongated 

 receptacle, glabrous, apiculate. Myosurus shortii Raf. Am. 

 Journ. Sci., vol. 1, p. 379, 1819. Myosurus minimus var. 

 shortii Hath., Engler's Bot. Jahrb., vol. 16, p. 284, 1893. 



We have only two sheets of this species from Iowa. They 

 were sent by Mr. Reppert of Muscatine county. The first 

 sheet bears the following note: "Moist grounds in places 

 along Cedar river, Moscow, Salisbury bridge, May 8th, 

 1894." The second sheet bears the legend "Wet or 

 damp places along Cedar river and Muscatine slough, not 

 common; Muscatine county, Cedar river region, May, 

 1895." In the State University herbarium is a specimen 

 contributed by Mr. Reppert with the following note: 



