oaMOEE] TAXOXOMIC LIST OF PLANTS 129 



small in size, and has de^inre.! flesh of finest quality The see<l of Baby 



iJehght, you will note, is not blark. but of a liRlit brown 



JaSUAEV 14, 1914. „•. ATLEE I'.UBPEE & Co.. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 

 Tour letter received. I di.l not answer at once because I wished to confer 

 with ITof. Thoburn, who has been ab.sent from the university Investigating 

 some njounds suppo.sed to be of hi.storical interest. 



He agrees with me tliat the watermelons to wliich you refer in your letter 

 are what are iK)pularly known as the " volunteer melon." I have a ranch in 

 an Indian neifchborhood and the so-calle<J '• pie melon " or citron Is almf>st a 

 pest. The " volunteer melons " are not unusual and they often hybridize 

 with the "pie melon." This may account for the fact that tlie "volunteer 

 melon " differs from the ordinary melon of commerce. Wliile I liave no proof 

 to sustain my statement, I do not l>elieve that the melon Is Indigenous to 

 Olciaboma. 



Should there develop any further information in regard to the subject I 

 shall be glad to communjcate with you further. I shall be much interested 

 in the results of your investigation and hope to keep in touch with tUe work 

 which you are doing in tliis line. 

 Ja.nuaey 23. 1914. A. H. Van Vleet, 



Pro/cHHor of liinloyy and Utan of the Uraduair 



School, the University of Oklahoma. 

 MiCRAMPELis LOBATA (Miclix.) Greene. TVilrl Cunimber. 

 W afiriaKn/ihecha ( Dakota ) . 

 ^\'ata"</fha ((Jniaha-Porica), from v-ata"., s(iuash or melon, and 



i"fffha, ghost ; ghost melon. 

 An Oglala said the seeds were used for beads. 



C A M PA N ULACEAE 



Lobelia cardinalis L. Red Lobelia, Cardinal Flower, Red Betty. 



This species is peculiar in its situation in Nebraska, in that it is 

 found in some isolated areas, all within the ancient domain of the 

 Pawnee Nation. These areas are far distant from any other region 

 in which the species is found. It is listed among " Species peculiar 

 to the Republican Di.strict.'" ' Again "Lobelia cardinalh and L. 

 infatcu, which are known for one or two stations in III [Sand Hill 

 region] along the southern edge of the State."* 



In another part of the present work the suggestion is made that 

 the presence of this species in the Pawnee country may be due to 

 introduction by Pawnee medicine-men. This explanation is sug- 

 gested in view of the value placed on the mystic powers attributed 

 to the species by that people. One use of this plant was in the 

 composition of a love charm. The roots and flowers were the parts 

 used. Other plants combined with Lohdia in compounding this 

 charm were roots of Pann-n r/uwqwfoHum and AngeUra" and the 

 seed of C'oqswf'llia dnurifolw. 



'Clpmcnts and Pound, Phytog<>ograph.T of Nebraska, p. 81. 



'Ibid, p. 297. 



• Sep discussion of Vanai. 



