PREFACE. 



This volume is the result of continued study of the flowering- plants of Iowa 

 during" a period of seven years. The author has collected in more than 

 thirty counties and in most portions of the state. To the collections thus ob- 

 tained the author's man}' friends have made generous additions either by 

 donation or by exchange. So far as possible all the literature relating to 

 Iowa botany has been canvassed and the collections in the State University 

 have been examined. All previous treatises have been in the nature of lists; 

 many annotated, some not; and were mostly confined to the flora of restricted 

 localities. In this volume all the scattered information is gathered and the 

 author endeavors to correct previous errors, to confirm the observations 

 already made, and to add new information obtained by personal effort. 



This work is founded primarily upon the private herbarium of T. J. and M. 

 F. L. Fitzpatrick and in this connection the author wishes to state that he is 

 under obligations to the following parties who have sent many rare or infre- 

 quent and interesting specimens: Fred Reppert of Muscatine county. Prof. B. 

 Fink of Fayette county. E. W. D. Hoi way and Herbert Goddard of Winne- 

 shiek county. R. I. Cratty of Emmet county. Prof. Pamm^l. C. R. Ball and 

 Wilmon Newell of Iowa State College. .1. P. Anderson of Decatur county. J. 

 II. Mills of Henry county, and Profs. T. ll. Machride and B. Shiraek of the 

 State University, and to many others who have lent aid in a limited amount. 

 In the determination of difficult material the author has received aid from 

 Prof. Wm. Trelease and Prof. J. B. S. Norton of the Missouri Botanical Gar- 

 den, F. Lamson-Scribner of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and R. I. 

 Cratty. 



The question of nomenclature is as yet unsettled. For some reason the new 

 nomenclature has not been received with much favor by Iowa botanists. Be- 

 cause of this the author has thought it best to pursue a conservative course. 

 All needful changes have been adopted and by the use of synonyms both the 

 old and new systems are presented. 



The author shall be pleased at all times to receive information and material 

 so that he may be able to extend his knowledge of a subject the pursuit of 

 which has been a source of much pleasure. 



T. J. Fitzpatrick. 

 Lamoni. Iowa. July 30, 1899 



