176 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
Solidagos, the two latter genera appearing in their best 
development a month later than the time of our explorations. 
The bottoms of the small rivers or streams frequently have 
marshes, or long ponds, formed from old river beds. Here 
may be found Typlia, Sagittaria, Lemna, Sparganium^ and other 
water plants hereafter listed. The woods were composed 
of elms, oaks, cottonwoods, linn, an occasional sycamore, and 
great abundance of willows in the lowlands. The older trees 
have mostly been pressed into use for local purposes. The 
woods are largely made up of young trees. Upland thickets 
are common and are mostly composed of hazel, red haws, 
sumac, plum, buckthorn, bittersweet, and shrubby oaks. The 
flora is much restricted by agricultural operations, which 
yearly reduce the amount of free ground for the native flora, 
while more careful culture renders difficult the existence of the 
introduced flora which, however, takes refuge in waste lots 
and along fence-ways and borders. The native flora takes 
refuge in the railway right of way, where the plants have 
been enjoying a brief respite, but will, ere long, either be com- 
pelled to turn tramps or cease to exist. 
The counties west of the rectangle have many species 
peculiar to that portion of Iowa. The bluffs bordering the 
Missouri river valley are composed of a remarkable series of 
loess hills. The flora of these hills includes Yuccas, Legumes, 
and grasses that are not found anywhere else in Iowa. The 
valley of the river has quite a number of introduced plants, 
common enough now, and which are migrating, and destined to 
extend from here eastward and become a source of trouble to 
farmers. 
In the preparation of this paper we are indebted to Mr. J. P. 
Anderson, of Lamoni, Iowa, for constant assistance as a col- 
lector. To R. I. Cratty, P. Lamson-Scribner, [and the officers 
of the Missouri Botanical Garden, we are under obligations for 
determinations of difficult species. 
We present the results of our labors, and hope they are 
worthy as a contribution to a better knowledge of the flora of 
this portion of Iowa. 
Lamoni, Iowa, January 1, 1899. 
Ranunculace^. 
Clematis virginiana L. Union, Ringgold, and Page counties. 
Thickets and waysides; frequent. 
