Moonseed Family. 7 



nus Asimin'a Adans. 



A. triloba ( L. ) Dunal. Common Papnw. A small tree, 10-30 feet high: shoots 

 ani younij leaves rusty pubescent, becoming- glabrous; leaves obovate-lanceo- 

 late. thin, acute, ii-12 inches long, very short-petioled, base cuneate: flowers 

 appearing with the leaves, on shoots of the preceeding year: peduncles and 

 ovate sepals dark-pubescent; petals dull purple, the outer much longer than 

 the calyx: fruit a fleshy yellowish edible berry. Borders of rivers: .flowers 

 in April; fruit edible, ripe in October; infrequent: Clayton, Dubuque. 

 Louisa, Des Moines, Lee, Johnson, and Fremont counties. 



MEXISPERM ACEAE DC. Moo.vseed Family. 



Climbing woody plants, with alternate leaves, and small dioecious pan- 

 icled flowers. Sepals and petals similar. Fruit a 1-seeded drupe. 



MENISPERMUM L. Mooxseed. Vine pubescent. Leaves long-petioled. 

 large, enti e or 3-7-lobed, palmately veined, downy beneath, flowers small, 

 white, on long axillary peduncles, panicled. Sepals 4-s. Petals ii-S. Sta- 

 mens 12-24: anthers 4-celled. Pistils 2-4. Drupe globular, black. 



M. canadense L. A common vine found in all parts of the state in rich 

 woodlands. The flowers appear from the last of May until the end of July. 

 Fruit ripe in September. 



BERBERIDACEAE T. <(• G. Barberry Family. 

 Perennial herbs or shrubs, with alternate stipulate or exstipulate leaves, 

 and regular perfect flowers. Sepals and petals imbricated in the bud, us- 

 ually in two rows of three each. Pistil single. F^uit a berry or capsule. 



podophyllum. Flowers large, white; fruit a large berry. 



caulophyi-Lcm. Flowers greenish; the ovary soon bursting and exposing 2 naked seeds. 



PODOPHYLLUM L. Heibs, with long running rootstocks, and % large pel- 

 tate 1-sided 5-9-parted leaves, the divisions variously lobed and toothed. 

 Flowers 1-2, perfect, nodding, white, 1-2 inches across, in fork of 2 leaves; 

 flower bud with 3 green early deciduous bractlets. Petals 6-9. Stamens 12- 

 18. Fruit a large many seeded berry. 



P. peltatum L. May Apple. Plant 1-2 feet high; common in rich wood- 

 lands; flowers in May: fruit ripeia July: then the plant decays. Winneshiek, 

 Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Fayette, Scott, Muscatine, Henry, Johnson, 

 Story. Appanoose, Decatur. Ringgold, Union, and Page counties. 



CAULDPHYLLUM Mx. Peduncles 2-3 inches long: pedicels a little longer 

 than the flower. Flowers paniculate, yellowish-green. Calyx- petal-like, 

 with 3 or 4 small lance-linear bracts; sepals 6, ovate. Petals 6, small, opposite, 

 gland-like, thick. Stamens opposite. t>: anthers large, oblong, 2-celled; fila- 

 ments short. Style short, stigma small. 



C. thalictroides ( L. ) Ms. Blue Cohosh. Stem 1-2 feet high, glabrous, 

 green, glaucous when young, with 2 or 3 large sheathing bracts at the base, 

 from thick matted rootstocks; leaves 3-ternately compound, one near the sum- 

 mit and usually one near the base of the panicle; leaflets wedge-ovate, 3-cleft, 

 middle division frequently with 3 large teeth; seeds the size of a grape, deep 

 blue, drupe-like. Rich woods: April-May: frequent; Winneshiek, Allamakee, 

 Clayton. Dubuque. Fayette. Scott, Muscatine, Johnson, Story, Emmet, Win- 

 nebago, Cerro Gordo, Woodbury, Shelby, and Decatur counties. 



NYMPHAEACEAE DC. Water Lily Family. 

 Aquatic perennial herbs, with horizontal rootstocks: peltate or cordate^ 

 boating, immersed or emersed leaves; and solitary axillary flowers. Flow- 

 ers showy, regular. Sepals 3-5. Petals and stamens mauy in most of 



