64 Boston Journal of Natural History. 



ble for its extreme astringency ; and on that account is ex- 

 ported to Europe. It is used as an astringent medicine. The 

 extract of the root is a powerful styptic and tonic. 



"25. Malvaviscus Drummondii T. cj- G. Fl. I. p. 230. 

 This proves to be a very ornamental plant in cultivation." 

 p. 204. 



"56. ffinothera rhombipetata Nutiall, in Tor rey &:. Gray, 

 Flora I. p. 493. This handsome species, so remarkable for its 

 acute or acuminate petals, has been cultivated in the Botanic 

 Garden of Harvard University, from seeds received from Mr. 

 Lindheimer." p. 216. 



"61. Gaura Lindheimeri/, (n. sp.) Prairies from Houston 

 to the Brazos; flowering from April to May, and through the 

 summer. In the Botanic Garden of Harvard University, 

 where it is cultivated from seeds collected by Mr. Lindheimer, 

 it also flowers through the whole summer, and proves to be a 

 very showy and elegant species. It attains the height of 

 from three to six feet, and its copious, racemose branches pro- 

 duce a long succession of blossoms, which are of a large size 

 for this genus. The petals, which are often three-fourths of 

 an inch long, are pure white, changing to rose-color; the 

 calyx is reddish. Flowers always tetramerous and octan- 

 drous. This is probably the same as the Texan plant referred 

 to by Spach to G. tripetala Cav., but it does not agree with 

 the figure of Cavanilles, nor exhibit any trinervous flowers." 

 p. 21S. 



"111. Egletes arkansana Niiit. T. & G. Fl. II. 411. 

 After flowering, the tube of the corolla of the outer disk 

 flowers, as well as those of the ray, become enlarged and 

 corky at the base ; and the inner part of the disk is sterile. 

 It is quite a handsome plant in cultivation. The numerous 

 rays are pure white above, and usually marked with pink 

 underneath." p. 222. 



"244. Opuntia fragihs Niitt. var frutescens. (O. frutes- 

 cens Engel. MSS.) On the Colorado, often acquiring the 

 height of four or five feet, with a branching, ligneous stem, 

 covered with light gray bark, and sometimes with lichens. It 

 bears bunches of small capillary spines with the larger ones 

 (4 or 5 lines long) ; these disappear from the older stems. The 

 wood is close grained. The younger branches are green and 



