176 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Solidagos, the two latter genera appearing in their best 

 development a month later than the time of our explorations. 

 The bottoms of the small rivers or streams frequently have 

 marshes, or long ponds, formed from old river beds. Here 

 may be found Typha, Sagittaria, Lemna, Sparganiuhi, and other 

 water plants hereafter listed. The woods were composed 

 of elms, oaks, cottonwoods, linn, an occasional sycamore, and 

 great abundance of willows in the lowlands. The older trees 

 have mostly been pressed into use for local purposes. The 

 woods are largely made up of young trees. Upland thickets 

 are common and are mostly composed of hazel, red haws, 

 sumac, plum, buckthorn, bittersweet, and shrubby oaks. The 

 flora is much restricted by agricultural operations, which 

 yearly reduce the amount of free ground for the native flora, 

 while more careful culture renders difficult the existence of the 

 introduced flora which, however, takes refuge in waste lots 

 and along fence-ways and borders. The native flora takes 

 refuge in the railway right of way, where the plants have 

 been enjoying a brief respite, but will, ere long, either be com- 

 pelled to turn tramps or cease to exist. 



The counties west of the rectangle have many species 

 peculiar to that portion of Iowa. The bluffs bordering the 

 Missouri river valley are composed of a remarkable series of 

 loess hills. The flora of these hills includes Yuccas, Legumes, 

 and grasses that are not found anywhere else in Iowa. The 

 valley of the river has quite a number of introduced plants, 

 common enough now, and which are migrating, and destined to 

 extend from here eastward and become a source of trouble to 

 farmers. 



In the preparation of this paper we are indebted to Mr. J. P. 

 Anderson, of Lamoni, Iowa, for constant assistance as a col- 

 lector. To R. I. Cratty, F. Lamson-Scribner, and the officers 

 of the Missouri Botanical Garden, we are under obligations for 

 determinations of difficult species. 



We present the results of our labors, and hope they are 

 worthy as a contribution to a better knowledge of the flora of 

 this portion of Iowa. 



Lamoni, Iowa, January 1, 1899. 



Ranunculace^. 



(lematls vlrfjlnlana L. Union, Ringgold, and Page counties. 

 Thickets and waysides; frequent. 



