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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1847. 



/ 



[lor the Davenport Gai 



Review of some Botanical observations^ made du- 

 ring the last season;- principally in the vicinity 

 of Davenport, and Rock Island. 



I BV C. C. PAKRY. j 



The general interest which attaches to 

 the natural productions of a new country a 

 induces me to present to your renders a 

 brief review of some botanical observations 

 furnished by the last season, embracing a 

 flowering interval of about six months. 



Daring this period, including an absence 

 of two months into the iulerior of Iowa, 

 about 500 species have come under my 

 notice, Containing specimen?, of 100, out 

 of the 170, Natural Familifis of North- 

 American plants. Of this number, about 

 two-thirds, are common to the states east 

 of the Alleganics; many are found in the 

 Southern Slates; the remainder may be 

 considered characteristic. 



Comprised in my list, upwards of 50, or 

 about one in ten, are recognized as medi- 

 cinal in the United States Dispensatory. 

 The poisonous plants are I'qWj and not of 

 that kind that would be apt to tempt the 

 inexperienced. 



♦Several of the plants, possess esculent 

 roots, which were in use among the Indi- 

 ans as articles of food 

 , The Striking difference, that marks 

 its of the same species, common to the 

 . is a greater rankness of growth nnd 

 xluctiveness; the pigmies of the light 

 tern soils, becoming complete giants 

 e. According to my observation, the 

 >ber of species over an equal extent of 

 ntry, is less than at the east, corres- 

 •;d'm'' with a less variable condition of 



soil; on the other hand the number ol 'indi- 

 viduals is much greater. 



The varieties of forest trees are compar- 

 atively small ; and there is a characteristic 

 absence of plants invariably connected 

 with the Pine growth materially diminish- 

 ing our Flora. 



The number of ferns is likewise small. 



With regard to the probable extent of 

 our State Flora; embracing as it does an 

 extensive prairie country including on the 

 north west, h portion of the high table land 

 known as "the hill of the meadows" on 

 east and west the val'.e) s of the Mississippi 

 and Missouri with their characteristic ve- 

 getation ; gathering on the south most of 

 the plants peculiar to the broken country 

 of the State of Missouri; and on the north 

 encroaching on the la key region towards 

 the sources of the Mississippi. From these 

 geographical data confirmed by observa- 

 tion, we may safely infer, that when thor- 

 oughly examined our Flora will present a 

 variety and richness second to no State 

 in the Union. 



The published list of plants collected by 

 Mr. Geyer, contained in Nicollet's report 

 of the exploration of country, between the 

 Mississippi and Missouri rivers, contains 

 446 species, about one-half of those there 

 enumerated I have observed this season, 

 with an additional 250 not there contained. 



Besides this I have derived assistance 

 from the complete and extensive list of Dr. 

 S. B. Mend, of Hancock co., III., containing 

 "ver900species; my own'observations thus 

 far have conincided very nearly %Rh h!~ 

 f.nd I have seldoftrmct with plants dot 

 there contained. 



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