12 



plants of this State could be collected, and individual members would 

 also have an opportunity to exchange specimens, at the same time caus 

 ingan interest to be excited throughout the State, in a study so pleasant 

 and useful, and lamentable as it is, so neglected. 



1 do not, in any manner, pretend that this report embraces all the 

 medicinal plants found within the precincts of this State, but submit it 

 with the hope that it may form the nucleus around which the Medical 

 Flora of our young and thriving State may be gathered. 



In its preparation I have consulted the various reports of the Geolo- 

 gical and other explorations made of this State by the Government, 

 the botanical works of Torry and Gray, Bigelow, Rafinesque, 

 Riddel, Eaton, Nuttall, James, Wood,|GriffithVMedicinal Botany, and 

 the U. S. Dispensatory of Wood and Bache. I have arranged the 

 plants according to the natural method, or that of Jussieu, and I have 

 adopted the nomenclature of the "North American Flora" of Torry 

 and Gray. I would also express my indebtedness for much valuable 

 information to Dr. James of Des Moines Co., who, as the companion 

 of Long in his expedition to the Rocky Mountains, so fully described 

 and explored the Flora of the Missouri and Platte rivers, also to Al- 

 fred Sanders, Esq. of Davenport, who has done much a*§" a*h amateur 

 botanist toward exploring and collecting the Flora of this State, Mr, 

 Sanders, of Davenport, D. S. Sheldon, A. M., and myself at Burling- 

 ton, will at any time be happy to exchange specimens with persons of 

 this or any other State. 



It must be remarked, more especially by those who have paid 

 some attention to the botany of the Eastern States, and who have 

 recently come to this State, that there is a vast difference in the size of 

 plants found here, and those they have been accustomed to seeing, 

 the same plants being nearly as large again, thus furnishing proof pos- 

 itive of the comparative depth and fertility of the soil. Another dis- 

 tinguishing feature is in the color, the petals of plants assuming bright- 

 er hues here than those produced on the lighter soils of the older 

 States. The idea so prevalent that the prairies of the West are a Par- 

 adise for the botanist from the multiplicity of plants produced, as 

 shown by the rich and brilliant corols that meet the admiring gaze up- 

 on every side, is entirely erroneous. As a country becomes settled the 

 botany increases. Quite a large number of plants that have been intro- 

 duced from foreign countries,, follow the march of civilization, and 

 soon become naturalized, while few if any of the indigenous 

 species become extinct, but are merely diminished in number. The 

 varieties of our Forest trees are but few, also of Ferns and those plants 

 "frompanvinu the Pine growth Hu8 oui Flora seems to be dimin 



