BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
\ A 
, glance over this catalogue will show the many good things such localities have given 
to our author. It is to be regretted that Dr. Sehneck’s time is so fully occupied that he 
cannot keep on hand a stock of duplicates for exchange. A striking feature of the 
flora of this region is the abundance of southern types. Up this low valley, running 
nearly north and south, many plants have found their way which one would scarcely ex¬ 
pect to meet except in a more decidedly southern flora. These low rich bottoms have 
yielded such monsters in growth, especially among the. climbers, that one is reminded of 
a South American jungle. Just hear Dr. Sclir^ck’s testimony on this subject. “ Here I 
have found a grape vine (Vitis Labrusca),. thjrjty-two inches in circumference, and near 
one hundred and fifty feet long, hanging from jtlie massive branches of a lofty tree, ap¬ 
pearing as if a monstrous cable suspended from the overhanging sky; Trumpet Vine. 
{Tecoma radicans), < thirty-eight and one-half inches in circumference, and climbing to 
the topmost branches of a tall tree, decorating it from root to top with a profusion of its 
foliage and orange-red trumpet shaped flowers; Cross Vine {Bignonia capreolata),- 
ascending in a straight line the massive shaft of an oak, elm, or black walnut, to the 
height of seventy-fiVe feet, its green, scarlet tinged foliage of winter persisting until late 
spring; Single-seed Cucumber (Sieyos angulatus), matting all bushes and vegetation, 
within ten feet of its root, into a thicket, or climbing up a neighboring tree to the dis¬ 
tance of sixty-three'feet; and in one instance, six climbing plants (Smilax rotundifolia, 
MenispermumCanadense, Ampelopsis qUinquefolia, Bignonia capreolata, Vitis cordifoliusi 
i Aristolochig tomentosa), supporting themselves on the body and branches of one small 
American Elm.” The author also gives us the names of several species which he 
; thinks are disappearing with advancing civilization and will eventually have to be 
stricken from the flora of the Lower Wabash. The principal ones are Gypripedium 
candidum and paroiflorum, Aletris farinosq , Lilium Philadelphicum and superbum, 
8cilia Fraseri, Opuntia Bajinesquii, and Mertensia Virginica. The author also states 
that as prairies were converted into fields the annual fires were soon stopped and as a 
consequence, in a few years a thick growth of young trees has sprung up, a view 
which, although it may be correct for a few localities, Prof. J. D. Whitney in recent 
numbers of the American Naturalist teaches us must be scouted as accounting for the 
general distribution of the prairie regions. Of course it would be tedious and useless 
to try to enumerate all the interesting plants listed in this catalogue and we can only 
refer those interested on the subject to the State publication in which this report oc¬ 
curs.—J. M. C. 
Some Iowa Plants.— At the suggestion of friends, in the interest of science* I 
send you the following names to be added to the Catalogue of Iowa plants. To sim¬ 
plify, we class them by the years in which they were discovered. 
1876. To begin, let us note, in the interest of comparative botanical science and 
the geographical distribution of plants, that those marked with, a star (*) do not occur 
in Prof. Aughey’s Catalogue of Nebraska plants, in the rarity and number of which we 
may feel a certain state pride. I have specimens of all named, and many to spare in 
most cases. 
Trifoliurn rejlexum*, L., June 26th, old channel of Cedar River, at the bridge live 
miles above Cedar Rapids, perhaps floated down from Minnesota. 
, (Enofhera purHilaf, L., 26th June, railroad grade, and dry, steep banks, near the 
above locality. 
Penst'emon albidus, Nutt, 26tli June, near water at the base of the high railroad 
grade, one mile above Cedar Rapids. Truly fine and rare. 
Frcdichia Floridana, Moquin, 13th September, street near the river, Cedar Rapids* 
Quite rare. 
To which I may add an introduced plant found by Prof. ^McAfee on the College 
grounds, Lotus corniculatus * L. How introduced we can only imagine. 
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