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BOTANICAL APPENDIX. 
Dr. Wislizenus has intrusted to me hisvery interesting botanical’ col¬ 
lections > with the desire that I should describe the numerous novelties 
included in them. Gladly would I have done so, had not leisure been 
wanting, and were I not here (in St. Louis) cut off from large collections 
and libraries. As it is, I can only give a general view Of the flora of the re¬ 
gions traversed, and describe a few of the most interesting new plants col¬ 
lected; with the apprehension, however, that-come of them may have been 
published already from other sources, without my being aware of it. 
In examining the collections of Dr. Wislizenus, I have been materially 
aided by having it in my power to compare the plants which Dr. Josiak 
Gregg,, the author of that interesting work “the Commerce of the Prai¬ 
ries,” has gathered between Chihuahua and the mouth of the Eio Grande, 
hut particularly about Monterey and Saltillo, and a share of which, with 
grOat liberality, he has communicated to me. His and Dr. W.’s collec¬ 
tions together, form a very fine herbarium for those regions. 
The tour of Dr. Wislizenus encompassed, as it were, the valley of the 
Rio Grande and the whole of Texas, as a glance at the map will show. 
His plants partake, therefore, of the.character of the floras of the widely 
different countries which* are separated by this valley. Indeed, the flora 
1 of the valley of the Rio Grande connects the United States, the Califor¬ 
nian, the Mexican, and the Tfexan floras, including: species or genera, or 
families^, peculiar to each of these countries. 
The northeastern portion of the route traverses the large western prai¬ 
ries, rising gradually from about 1,000 feet above the gulf of Mexico, near 
Independence, Missouri, to 4,000 feet west of the Cimarron river. v The 
plants collected on the first part of this section, as far west as the, cross¬ 
ings of the Arkansas river, are those well known as the inhabitants of our 
western plains. I mention among others, as peculiarly interesting to the 
botanist, or distinguished by giving a character to the landscape; in the 
order in which they were cgllected, Tradescdntia virginica, Phlox qrista- 
ta , Oenothera missouriensis, serrulata, speciosa,,foc., Pentstemon Cobae% 
Astragalus caryocarpus, (common as. far west as .Santa-Fe,) Delphinium 
jizuremn-y Baptisia australis , Malva Papaver , Schrankia uncinata and 
xmgustata ; Echinacea angustifolia , Aplopappus spinulosus, Gaura toccinea, 
Sida coccinea , Sophora sericea , Sesleria jdactyloides , Hordeum pusillum , 
Engelmannia pinnatijida , Pyrrhopappus grandijlorus , Gaillardia pulchel- 
lq, m Argemone Mexicana , (with very hispid stem and large white flowers.) ” 
The plants collected between the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers are 
rarersome of themamown to us only through Dr. James, who •accompa¬ 
nied Long’s expedition to those regions in 1820. "We find here Cosmi- 
dium gracUe, Torr. and Gr., which has also been collected about Santa 
Fe and farther do#n the Rio Grand e; Cucumis 9 perennis % James, found 
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