Distribution of the Order Ranunaulacem. 17 



Nuttall, discovered, I believe, by Mr. Wyeth, in tbe Rocky Moun- 

 tains. Science is indebted to tliis gentleman for several additions 

 made to tbe lierbarea of North American plants, altbougli it was 

 mercantile enterprise and views of trade alone that led him to 

 cross the continent to the Columbia. 



Of the Aquilegias or Columbine-s, one species of which is so 

 highly graceful and ornamental to Canada, I have not been able 

 to collect more than two kinds, viz. : the Aquilegia Canadensis 

 of known celebrity, and the A. Brevistyla of Hooker. By this 

 botanist, the former is said to be very abundant at the mouth of 

 the Columbia or Oregon Riv-er, and also in the Rocky Mountains 

 between latitudes 52° and 55°. I am not aware of its existence 

 to the northward of 56°, and would therefore say it preferred a 

 domicile within a zone, bounded by a line ot 40° on the south, 

 and 56° on the north, making choice of dry situations and warm 

 exposures, where the soil is suitable. It may be noticed here, that 

 Torrey does not seem to admit the Columbia or Pacific Coast as a 

 locality for this plant, which renders it probable that the Aquile- 

 gia formosa of Fischer, which resembles closely the A. Canaden- 

 sis, was the species which Hooker took for a variety of the other. 



In all my walks I have never yet had the pleasure of meeting 

 with the A. Brevistyla, but it has been sent to me from Macken- 

 zie River. I conclude that it is very rare to the southward of 

 Lake Winipeg, although, according to some, it is a native of 

 Western Canada. 



Following naturally the Aquilegias, come the Larkspurs, or 

 genus Delphinium of Linnaeus. Several species, not known in 

 Canada or on British Territory, grow in the southern and west- 

 em States of the Union, being natives there, and others also in 

 California and the Oregon. The Delphinium Exaltatum, found 

 in Canada, attains to a high latitude, as it passes the barrier or 

 ridge of high land that separates the waters running eastvv'ards 

 into Hudson's Bay from those that fall by another course into the 

 Arctic ocean. In these northern latitudes, it is probably confined 

 to the limestone strata and the warmest exposures. I have dried 

 specimens of some size from friends in the north, who gathered 

 them on the banks of Clear Water River. I must own, I have 

 aot met with it myself between Lake Winipeg and Canada. To 

 me, therefore, this fine plant, like the Hepatica, appears to have 

 taken an immense leap of nearly 2,000 miles. If there be con- 

 ^lecting links along this great distance, where the D. exaltatum 



