284 DOUGLAS' JOTJBNAL 



(184) Pentstemon sp. ; leaves sessile, linear, minutely serrated, smooth ; 

 flowers fine ligtt blue ; 1 to 2 feet tigli ; in solitary tufts, interspersed over 

 all the dry soils ; this will I think prove one of Nuttall's Missouri plants, 

 perhaps serrulatus.^ 



(185) Helonias (?) on the plains ; in great abundance. 



(186) Allium sp. ; flowers rose colour ; on the plains ; very common. 

 Wednesday, 18<A.— Having an invitation to dine with the Eoman Catholic 



Bishop at his Mission house, I was prevented from making a long route. 

 In the forenoon collected a few plants : 



(187) Psoralea sp. ; perennial ; plant hirsute ; flowers blue and white ; 

 this is the Turnip of the Plains of the voyageurs, the roots of which are used 

 by the Indians both boiled and raw ; does not possess any farinaceous 

 substance ascribed to P. esculenta by Pursh ; a low, much branching 

 plant ; abundant on the low fertile spots of the plain (endeavour to find 

 seeds of this plant). 



(188) Lobelia inflata (?) common ; on moist ground. 



(189) Cruciferae, annual ; a strong-growing plant ; on the banks of 

 rivers ; 2 to 4 feet high. 



(190) Potentilla sp. ; perennial ; flowers yellow ; a fine plant, 18 inches 

 to 2 feet high ; on dry elevated spots ; rare. 



(191) Galium sp. ; perennial ; abundant everywhere. 



(192) Polygonum sp. ; on marshy ground ; a strong plant. 



(193) Spiraea, a small shrub ; on banks of streams ; common. 



(194) Linum sp. ; perennial ; flowers blue ; on the plains, rare ; in 

 solitary tufts. 



From the Bishop I had much civility and spent the evening in 

 the most- agreeable manner. He showed me his garden, farm, church, 

 and Mission establishment, which reflects great credit on its conductor. 

 The aborigines and Bules have not only a religious education but are 

 taught domestic economy, farming, spinning, and weaving cloth from 

 the wool of the bufialo. This estabhshment, in common with most 

 others, sustained great injury from the high water during last year, and 

 from the pressing state of the church funds the most rigid economy is 

 required to keep the Mission alive. 



Thursday, I9th. — ^Rainy. Shifting papers, &c. 



Friday, 20«^.— Made a short trip to ' The Pines,' a small tract of 

 undulating country a few miles ofi the banks of the river on the south side. 

 Gathered as follows : 



(195) Gramineae, annual ; in moist fertile soils ; 2 to 3 feet high. 



(196) Gramineae, perennial; on the same sort of soils and equally 

 abundant. 



(197) Gramineae, perennial ; on the meadows, with the following : 



(198) Gramineae, perennial ; 



(199) Gramineae, annual ; near the establishments, in all low soils. 



(200) Silene, annual ; a slender plant, 8 inches to a foot high ; 

 sparmgly on the plains, more abundant on hills. 



(201) Afocynum; 1 to 2 feet high; flowers pink colour; in moist 

 1 Pentstemon diffusiis, A. Gray, Syn. PI. N. Am. ii. i. p. 271. 



