1889.] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. I «9 



Another interesting plant here was a very woolly thistle, 

 which was a puzzler. I sent it to Dr. Watson, who says it 

 is Cnicus altissimus Willd., var. filipcndulus Gr., remarking 

 that it was near C. undulatus Gr. The range given for this 

 in the Synoptical Flora is Texas to Colorado. According to 

 that it had strayed a considerable distance from its home. 



Another plant was found the same forenoon, which i 

 worth mentioning, namely Salsola Kali. It was very abun- 

 dant, but apparently introduced, probably from the north- 

 west, where, I believe, it is found. 



As the Spirit Lake region is pretty well known to any 

 who would be interested in Iowa flora. 'I will not describe it. 



At the south end of Lake Okoboji the beach runs directl; 

 to the prairie. Walking back a few rods, I came to a patch 

 of grass which I decided was Agrofyrum violaccum Lange. 

 But Dr. Vasev, on seeing the specimens, decided differently. 

 He said it was A. unilaterale V. & S. A. violaceum had 

 been admitted to the Iowa flora on some specimens contrib- 



R 



* 



wrote to Mr. Crattv, who has contributed largely to the Iowa 

 flora, and he very kindly sent me a specimen of his A. vio- 

 laceum, which seems to' be identical with A., unilaterale, in 

 which case the former must be expunged from the list of 

 Iowa plants and the latter added. 



In speaking of reported Iowa plants, I refer to Prof. 

 Arthur's " Contributions to the Flora of Iowa.'' 



Iowa City. Iozva. 



J 



BRIEFER 





Xoimea rosea.— Escaped from my garden, this has become rather 

 abundant as a weed in the vicinity, and promises to be one of our ear- 

 liest spring flowers. We have not had severe weather, but the ther- 

 mometer has been so regularly below freezing point, that only ^^ 

 day (March 17), it was high enough to start chickweed and Draba 

 verna into bloom. The Nonnea is also keeping company. Honey-bees 

 are trying to glean something from all three, though, later in the sea- 

 son they neglect them for better fare.-THOMAS Meehas, Qermantown, 



Pennsylvania. 



Diceutra stomas and stamens.- When a half-developed flower-bud 

 is examined the six stamens are seen to have their anthers upon a level 

 with the capitate stigma. Soon after this, and before the petal-tips turn 

 down, the anthers have dehisced and the pollen is in contact with the irreg- 

 ular and roughened surface of the swollen tip of the style. This top is 

 flat, and suggests the part of a watch key which is grasped by thumb and 



