IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
91 
Mattliioli Ephemeriim esse suspicatus sum, sed cum nullas, nisi Dioscoridis, no- 
tas, adposuerit, nil pronunciare licet. 
English Translation. 
Lysimachia lutea corniculata is a Ijrancliy ])lant rising to a man’s 
height. Its shape resembles Lysimachia latifolia purpurea siliquosa.^ It 
(comes lip) from an oblong white root, thicker tlian the finger, bearing 
a few fibres. The stem rises round at the base, and above the middle 
becomes angular on account of the many branches, (is) subcinereous, 
smooth, branches out right from the root into rather short branches, soon 
becoming longer, and these branch into others broadly spread out, which 
(and these) are round (and) supplied with a very few hairs, (and) 
dotted with small reddish spots, from which, as from pores, a hair pro- 
trudes. There are many leaves right at the root, oblong, longer than the 
palm of the hand, (but) scarcely exceeding an inch in widtli. These 
are thick and pale green, slender (and) end in a point; the lower ones 
are sometimes laciniate, the others in truth obscurely sinuate. Through 
the midst of them, runs a white rib, as in the aforesaid Lysimachia 
chamaenerion.' From the curves of the wings (i. e. from the axils of 
the leaves) a jointed round pedicel comes forth, of whicli the part above 
the joint is three inches" long and hollow. On this a big yellow, four- 
petalled flower, Tares out beyond the leaA^es. When it first begins to 
Tower, it (the bud) is quadrangular, and opening Avhen the sun is still 
barely shining, in the midst of it is seen a pistil, which (is) green (and) 
goes down all the Avay to the joint, and is furnished with four apices, 
sulphur-colored and arranged in the form of a cross, around which 
stand eight stamens, four of Avhich are placed one opposite each petal. 
The other four are set in between the Trst (four). On each one of these 
sets a small Avhitish head. Four oblong, narrow, pale leaA^es are set in 
underneath the ToAver itself, in the form of a calyx. The ToAver is frag- 
rant, not unlike the Keiri, but rather more like the odor of the yelloAV 
liliasphodel. (It) does not last beyond one day, and AAdien it opens 
toAvards evening it wilts on the eA^ening of the following day, from Avhich 
it deserA^es to be called Ephemerum, Avhen the ToAver AAuth its pedicel 
has fallen off at the joint, the other part, measuring an inch and a half," 
species of Epilobium. 
-Probably Epilohium cmgustifoUum L. 
is probable that the dimensions stated are only approximately correct and 
cannot be taken as accurate measurements. In none of these forms, for example, 
is the hypanthium three inches in length, but such a measurement would answer 
approximately for the combined length of hypanthium and cone, which is probably 
referred to here. Similarly, the width of the rosette leaves, given as scarcely more 
than an inch, is probably only an approximation. The measurement given for the 
length of the ovary, viz. : 1 % inches, must surely be incorrect. 
^This must be an error. Half an inch would be more nearly correct for any Oenothera 
of this group comprising O. LamarcMana, O. grandiflora and O. hiennis. 
