Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-15
RARE, CURIOUS PLANTS.
FIFTY THOUSAND SPECIMENS IN A
PHILADELPHIA HERRARIuM.

ucfs-fihiits from everywhere
The biological school of the University OF
Pennsylvania can boast of herbarium Of
10000 botanical specimens. These are large
ly plants gathered in Philadelphia from all
over the world and dried and preserved
There Is included an almost complete col
lection of North American fauna; another,
nearly rs full, Of the flowers of the Sand
witch Islands; number OF specimens from
Russia Southern Europe, the Cape of Good
Hope, Australia, the West Indies and the
northern part Of South America; an almost
perfect representation Of the MOSES Of
eastern United States and Of the ferns OF
North America, and very good working
exhibit Of American lichens. Many Of the
plants were secured at the risk of life.
Some were plucked from dizzy heights by
the adventurous collectors, and others call
to mind interesting facts of another kind.
The group of clematis, or virgins bower,
Is represented by specimens from all over
the west Florida, Mexico and Australia.
One western variety with long, fuzzy white
punches of blossom tradition says, has
been used by Indians to revive their horses
when dropping. The specimens Of coptis
or golden thread, "a small and delicate look
ing plant, show that 1t grows all over the
northern part Of this hemisphere, in Penn
sylvania Labrador and Sitla, Alaska. The
native country Of the monks hood is
equally extended In 1874 the seeds of the
long spurred, yellow aquilegia were selling
ut II fabulous price, owing to their scarcity
Prior TO that time the plant was scarcely
ever seen In larger quantities than punches
a foot Squire. DR. hothrock, professor of
botany at the university went west that
year, and nc Willow Spring, Arizona, he
came upon twenty acres of these beautiful
flowers, with spurs four or FIVE inches long
A specimen Of the berberis, or mountain
grape, is particularly interesting, because
in the northern part Of the western coun-
try where doctors are not to be found, it is
used by the natives as drug. It has alter
native properties, Is IN efficient tonic, and
by mixing with sugar and fermenting its
small blue berry can be made into a whole
some wine There are dried tufts of draba
or whitow grass from half dozen places
all over the world-Oreg0n, the Alps, Sibe-
ria, the island of Grand Manan, in the Bay
of Fundy, and British Columbia. One be
longs to variety which Dr. Rothrock
thinks has but half dozen representatives
in all the herbaria in the world. 1t was
procured by BischoG, accompanying the
Western Union extension in Sitka, Alaska,
in 1865.
A Colorado plant the same family was
found on n spot 1900 feet above the sen 1t
is curious to notice in this variety the draba
Alpina, that owing to the GOODNESS of its
native place, the foliage is all dwarfed and
knotted, while the process of producing
flower and fruit is as luxuriant as that of
specimens found in milder climates An
other draba brought from Wyoming by
the northwest Wyoming expedition in 1875
Is still more dwarfcd Six specimens of the
cochlearia oblongifolia, or scurvy grass, are
particularly interesting on account of a
story that is told of the plant. IL is princi-
pally found in the northern regions, quite
betting the vicinity of the north pole, and
appearing as it docs very early in the year
IN times gone by it was the saviour OF
scores Of crews dying from scurvy, being
eaten with perfect impunity. The UNIVERSE
ty's specimens come from Norton sound and
Sitka, Alaska, and Pover bay, Eastern 81
beria The Claytonia sibrica illustrates
how wonderfully plants adapt themselves
TO conditions of climate, One of these in
the herbarium from California has leaves
and stem four times rs large rs those OF
another from Siberia, while the flowers and
fruit of both are of equal size
A dried plant named afterGen- Fremont
brought from California is called the slip
perry elm, though it is not related TO the
family of tho eastern slippery elm, but is
much more nearly related to the holly
hook There is no more interesting object
in the collection than n twig broken from
n variety OF the Canotin, which was fOunC
In tho ella valley of Arizona. This is (
leafless tree, which Winter and summer
alike stands extending into the mir long
bnro, skeleton like branches. The flowers
grow out directly from the wood. Preyi
Gus to 1874 there had been only rumor o.
tho existence of this tree. During thai
Vear DIR. Rothlock, while in Arizona, saw
several of them, but simply thought then
dead until chance led him to approach on,
and he secured . specimen, which is almos
priceless in value TO him.
A Number of dried dahlias, some of then
also from the ella river, illustrate, too, tn,
tendency Of plants under certain circum
stances to Jose all large leaves and also e
acquire numerous oil glands along tn
stems, which appear under tho microscope
like knots of red and yellow gum. Ih
varieties OF sumach represented in TIN
berbnrium number among them one from
Center county, Pa, which is so poisonou
that susceptible people dare not approach
within thirty feet of il, and another quit
common in this ncghborhuod with bcrrie
covered by scarlet hairs, which Is not dan
gerous.
A dried tust Of chamacbalia from Call
fornia, although It has been preserved 70
fifteen years, after having been soaked Il
alcohol aud corrosive sublmate still n
tains something of the strong resinous odo
for which IL is famous a specimen of ivcsi
Gordoui, nearly allied 90 the common tiy,
finger, was secured in Colorado Mt an elt
walton Of 1900 feet after a hard day
climb, DR.. Rothrock, the collector, ben
laden with u cistern thermometer, rifle an
tin botanical box. There are also spec
mems of the horkelia, potentilla and thir
plant, which were not known until ID
Rothrock came upon Them all within
space Of thirty square feet, in the moul
tains Of California The presence Of nun
Der of plants of the sedum rhodiola c
house leel variety points reminiscenco
the ice period in North America
These specimens in the herharium CON
respectively from the high mountains {
Germany, Labrador, the island of Gran
NTa,qn. in the Bay of Fundy; Colorado
Eustern Siberia and the Roam mountain
of South Carolina. The plant only grow
in very cold attitudes, The theory Is thi
long 900 the ice, moving southwark alon
this continent from the ncighbovhood {
the North Pole, by cooling tho surface
the ground in British America ana IN u
northern part OF what is now the Unite
States, made a path for this Arctic plant
migrate southwark. The ice melted M
tho surface Of the earth grew warm agar