MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN Volume 60 Jan.-June 1972 BoTANIGAL a J PissourR LIBRARY GARDEN MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN VOLUME LX NUMBER 1 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1972 BOARD OF TRUSTEES C. Powell Whitehead, President Tom K. Smith, Jr., First Vice President Sam'] C. Davis, Second Vice President Howard F. Baer —_ Henry Hitchcock Clarence C. Barksdale A. Timon Primm III Joseph H. Bascom _— Sydney M. Shoenberg, Jr. Leicester B. Faust = Warren McKinney Shapleigh Robert R. Hermann —_ Harry E. Wuertenbaecher, Jr. HONORARY TRUSTEES: d ‘rench HISTORICAL COMMITTEE Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Chairman Mrs. William G. Bowman Mrs. John S. Lehmann George Brooks Mrs. Neal S. Wood Mrs. Jerome F. Kircher Mrs. Elizabeth N. Young Miss Virginia Drummond, Mgr. Tower Grove House The Missouri Botanical Garden is a Fund Member of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. St. Louis Gardening January and February TIME TO LOOK through catalogs, dream, and plan. If you aren't satisfied with your garden, now is the time to begin making changes. Mistakes are easier to correct if you make plans to scale on paper. Decide where you want to plant your trees, shrubs, or flowers, then study local catalogs to see what is best. Look around your neighborhood and visit the Missouri Botanical Garden to see what is thriving. Ask questions and join a local garden club. On mild days, prune old wood out of trees and shrubs. Pro- vide water as well as seed and suet for the birds. They are consum- ing many insect eggs that would otherwise hatch out in early spring. Check house plants for insects and disease. See that they get plenty of light, and occasionally spray-clean foliage with room temperature tap water. Repot plants when pots are filled with roots. For an early start in spring, get containers cleaned and ready for sowing seed of flowers and vegetables. This is a good time to sow perennial seed in the back yard cold frame. Water regularly and ventilate the cold frame on bright sunny days. In January you can still force some bulbs such as paperwhite narcissus for indoor use. Give them lots of light once growth starts and keep cool, as too much heat will cause stems to stretch. Watch temperatures in the home greenhouse carefully, and don’t overwater. Plants will be starting to show new growth as days begin to lengthen. Pansy seed started now in your greenhouse will give satisfactory plants to set out in late March that will bloom over a long period. Get soil ready for busy days ahead. Late in February check your sprayer and supply of dormant oil spray to use on trees and shrubs when temperatures are over 45° and there is no danger of frost for a couple of hours after spray is applied. 0 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN VOLUME LX NUMBER 1 EDITOR Barbara Perry Lawton EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marjorie Richardson CIRCULATION Clarence Cherry EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Robert J. Dingwall Kenneth O. Peck Peter H. Raven EDITORIAL & PUBLICATION OFFICE Missouri Botanical Garden 2315 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63110 Published bi-monthly by the Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Subscription price: $5.00 a year, domestic; $6.00 a year, foreign; $1.00 per single copy. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at St. Louis, Missouri BULLETIN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1972 CONTENTS Ot LOUIS Sar deOning sy 1.044555. Caw eas 1 Gentian (cover).......... 0.0.00 cece 3 Carla Lange Hieronymus Bock’s Kreutterbuch ....... 4 Carla Lange Summer Flowering Shrubs ............ 8 Paul A. Kohl An Aquatic Bugcatcher: the Bladderwort.............0.000 13 Charles Kreher High Protein Corn in the Garden's Collections ............ 15 Hugh Cutler The Missouri Botanical Garden itt AN Oii a. a «4-4 ov oe SEK SSO ORR 19 Cover design by Peter Geist. a Ae I, r\\. Gent! a) Nal, entian (cover) ony NG Carla Lange HE COVER IS an illustration taken from a woodcut in Hierony- mus Bock’s Kreitterbuch representing the gentian (Gentiana lutea) of the family Gentianaceae which contains about seventy genera and approximately seven hundred species. The gentian was named by the Greeks after King Gentius of Illyria who is said to have discovered it or to first have tried its medicinal values as a cure for the plague spreading through his en- tire army. This beautiful genus of herbaceous plants is mostly of alpine ori- gin Gentiana lutea is the yellow gentian and of a hardy, perennial, and flowery kind. It is a native of Europe and Asia Minor and flowers in its wild state between June and August. The cultivated gentian can be propagated only from seeds which should be sown in a cold frame in November; seedlings will appear the following March and April. The young plants should be transferred into pots during the month of August where they may be kept until being put outdoors. Special care should be exercised not to break the root. The root of the gentian is the only medicinal part of the plant. It has little or no smell, but does have an extremely bitter taste. The extract of the root of the gentian has been much used as a cure for various ailments of the stomach; however, to hide its bitter taste, the extract has usually been prepared by having the root sliced and mixed with dried orange peel and fresh lemon peel. The extract can also be made into pills, with or without aromatic additions. In Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria a gentian brandy is made which is a very popular tonic for the stomach. Bock himself says of the gentian that its root is the one used more than any other root in Germany. He also states that there is no better remedy against poisonous dog bites than the juices ex- tracted from gentian.O Hieronymus Bock’s Kreiitterbuch Carla Lange HE ILLUSTRATIONS for the covers of this year’s Bulletins were taken from Hieronymus Bock’s Kreiitterbuch (Herbal) published in Strassburg in 1546 in the German language. It contains almost 600 small woodcuts of plants. Hieronymus Bock or Hieronymus Tragus, as he called himself when writing in Latin (Tragus being the literal translation of his last name), was born in 1498 in Heidesbach not too far from Heidelberg, Germany. His parents seemed to have been moderately wealthy and gave the young Hieronymus a good education, always with the understanding, however, that he would eventually become a monk and enter a monastery. In this he greatly disappointed his parents since he not only felt no desire whatsoever for a cloistered life, but even supported the Lutheran Reformation. In 1523, at the age of twenty-five, he entered the services of Palgrave Ludwig at Zweibrucken as a school teacher, but since his ar- dent love for plants and his pursuits in botany were well recognized, he also was appointed by Ludwig as supervisor of his gardens which Bock is supposed to have vastly enriched. He stayed in this position until the death of his patron in 1532. Ludwig was succeeded by Friedrich II, a confirmed Catholic. Because of his religious beliefs, Hieronymus Bock left Zweibrucken and moved to the nearby village of Hornbach where he became a Protestant preacher. During his stay there, he collected plants in the neighborhood which still offered a wild vegetation and was a botanist’s paradise. He usually dressed as a peasant on his botanical excursions so as not to draw undue attention to himself. Hieronymus Bock was a contemporary of the famous botanist and physician Otto Brunfels, whose plant illustrations were the first drawn from living plants. Brunfels and Bock were known as the first two of the “German Fathers of Botany.” Brunfels was well aware of the importance of Bock as a botanist and several years before his death, he visited Bock in Hornbach trying to persuade him to write an herbal in German. Bock himself says in the preface of his work “De stirpium maxime..." published in 1552: “When 4 PAceuiter Buc. Havin Bnderfeheid Wiirefung Hnd Mamender Kreiicer fo in DeucfGen Cane den wachfert/ Auch der felbigeneigentlichervnd wolges grimdter gebsauch inn der Aranet flet(fig darges bers /LReibs gefundhere 3% bebaleen wnd 316 fises deren fecr nuslich vnderdftlidy / Dorab dem gemeineneinfalcigenman. Suir GH. Gicronymum Bock aus lange Witiger vHDd gerwiffer erfarung bes {cdpribers / Ondjesund Don newer fer(Tig iber(ehen /aebeffere vd gemebret / Daze mit hupfchen artigen Figuren allenthalben gesterec. Dariiber findefes Drei Holfomene nugliBe Begifter / pnder welchen/Daserft diegemeine Latinitche»nd Griecht(che Tamers der Rreiicer hac / Das ans der dte Deut(che/Das dzte die anzeig der Arpanet vndehac fiir allerlei Franck beicen ond leiba gepreftert. Mic KeiferliGer Areihete auff Siben Bar. 9. @. tloj. Todd Studios Title page of Hieronymus Bock’s Kreutterbuch published in 1546. i: 63)| NYMI TRAGI® [fg f)} ANNO ATATIS § S Todd Studios Hieronymus Bock, botanist and author, shown here in a woodcut from his herbal Kreutterbuch. information about the labors and the journeyings which I hade undergone in behalf of plants had in some way been conveyed to the most learned Otto Brunfels of pious memory, he himself came journeying all the way from Strassburg to Hornbach, that he might see my gardens and collections. These things pleased him so much that from that day forward he ceased not to exhort, as did also others by letter, that I would reduce all this matter to order, and give it to the German public.” In 1554 at the age of fifty-six, Bock died at Hornbach of con- sumption from which he had suffered all his life. He survived his wife and eight of his ten children. Half a century later, a memorial tablet was found at the ruins of St. Fabian’s church bearing the in- scription “Anno Dom. 1554, 21 Febr. Hieronymus Tragos, animae corporisque medicus, et canonicus huius aedis, in Domino Jesu obdormivit; cuis anima in consortio beatorus quiescit. Amen.” Bock’s first book on plants written in the German language did not have any illustrations, but was written with the intent that the German public become familiar or recognize the plants by their description alone. His descriptions were so detailed and superb and such a success that his first work was republished in Latin so that other than German botanists and scholars might be able to read it. In all his works, Bock never described a plant he had not personally seen and examined, leaving out even some which had been recom- mended for their medicinal values by older physicians. Also, he carefully notes the exact locations where any of the plants may be found, therefore his work comes close to being a flora in the modern sense. He preferred not to follow the then customary system of list- ing the plants in alphabetical order, but rather put the plants together according to their relationship to each other. He said himself: “In describing things, | come as nearly as I can to keeping by themselves such plants as nature seems to have linked together by similarity of form.” He considered his theory of grouping trees, shrubs, and herbs as natural and valid and upheld the tradition that trees are of the highest rank and the herbacecus plants of the lowest. In his herbals he does not follow the system dating back to Dioscorides of listing and describing the plants according to their effects and uses, but divides them in three categories: 1) wild plants with aromatic flowers, 2) clover, grasses, edible plants, and vines, 3) trees and shrubs. Bock was the first botanical author who stated the approximate month of the annual flowering of plants which indicates that he must have kept copious notes throughout the years in order to be able to tell which tree blooms early in the year and which flowers appear later in the season. Plumier named the genus Tragia of the euphorb family in Bock’s honor. He has been called by many botanists the first forerunner of Linnaeus and the creator of modern botany. 0 - Summer Flowering Shrubs Paul A. Kohl HETHER A GARDEN is large or small, some shrubs are needed for background planting and, in planning a spring garden, there are numerous flowering kinds that may be used. For the summer garden there are few blooming shrubs available so the purpose of this article is to tell about the kinds that may be grown in Our region. Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) is a dwarf horse- chestnut, native in the south-eastern states, and equally at home Author photo Bottlebrush buckeye, the dwarf horse-chestnut, grows along the main west walk that leads south from the Climatron toward Tower Grove House. 8 Author photo Buddleias can be found growing along the walk that leads from the Main Gate to the Old Rose Garden. in St. Louis gardens. It needs room to spread and grows six to eight feet high and therefore is unsuitable for the small garden. For shady areas under trees it has no equal. After the initial planting suckers gradually fill in the entire area between plants and since the leaves are large and numerous no weeds grow under them. Each June the panicles of white flowers appear, resembling bottle brushes, hence the name, bottlebrush buckeye. There are three shrubs, two from Asia and one from southern Europe, which each winter are either partially or completely frozen to the ground. For that reason they are all treated alike in the spring by cutting away the previous year’s growth. Even though not all of the canes are frozen it is just as well to remove them as the plants grow rapidly into fine four- to five-foot specimens by mid-July. 9 ACs > a ak Author photo hind en growing be The chaste tree can be se the north yew hedge that runs along the Author photo Crape-myrtle grows along the south wall of the Linnaean House. 10 The first of these shrubs to bloom is the buddleia (Buddleia davidii), commonly called butterfly bush or summer lilac. It starts to flower in July and continues into September. There are pink, lavender, purple, and white varieties available under names like Pink Charming, Fascinating, Purple Prince, White Peace, White Profusion, and so on. Number two in the group is the chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) which is as easily grown as the buddleias and has the same bloom- ing period in mid-summer. The lavender flowers are borne in clusters and by branching repeatedly the whole shrub is soon covered with a mass of flowers. The leaves and stems have a pleasing aromatic odor when handled. The third member of this summer group of shrubs is the crape- myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). For profusion of bloom over a long period, beginning in late July, this is a good shrub for any garden. It is best to plant crape-myrtles in sheltered areas protected from the north wind. Like buddleias and vitex the stalks of the previous season are cut back in early spring. Nothing is gained by waiting and hoping for some of the canes to bud out. The plants grow to a maximum of five to six feet in a season in this area. Further south, as in Williamsburg, Virginia, the climate allows crape-myrtles to grow much taller. We are fortunate that we can grow this shrub so far north. Red, pink, lavender, and white varieties are available, the red and pink varieties being the kinds usually seen in St. Louis gar- dens. Watermelon red is a good variety; this is the one we have been growing here in the Garden. Author photo aan at the edge of the little stream just south of the lily pools. ane The rose mallow grows 11 V ojoud Joyyny This false spirea (Sorbaria sorbifolia) is just south of the lily pools on the north- west end of the Knolls. Rose-of-Sharon or shrub althea is a tall shrub frequently planted in gardens and familiar to most gardeners. Often the old violet- colored variety is grown, but newer and better kinds with pink, red, and white flowers are also available. There are double-flowered varieties but these are not as showy as the single forms with their large hollyhock-like flowers. In catalogs these plants are listed as althea or Hibiscus syriacus. Another hibiscus that is not a shrub but a perennial which grows tall enough in the summer to be treated as a shrub is the rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos). Good varieties have been developed from the native plants of swampy areas and these grow well in rich garden soil when given additional water in dry periods. The false spiraeas (Sorbaria arborea and sorbifolia) are included in this list of summer blooming shrubs. They can hardly be recom- mended for the average garden because of their great height which may be ten to fifteen feet and equally as broad. But they are grace- ful shrubs with their white panicles of flowers in late July. O iZ An Aquatic Bugcatcher: the Bladderwort Charles Kreher Charles Kreher worked at the Garden for many years, and is an expert on waterlilies and medicinal plants and herbs, as well as the horticulture of annuals and perennials, ERIODICALLY A SMALL but prolific volunteer appears in the lily tanks of the growing ranges. It is Utricularia or bladderwort which normally grows outside, and in Missouri begins to flower in late May or June. The conditions which exist during the winter months in the lily growing area of the Garden, warm water and an air temperature of 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, make growth and flowering possible in February and March when the pictures were taken. It’s hard to say just how or when the plant first appeared in the lily tanks. Sometimes the devil does his dance and strange unex- plainable things occur. We did have it in the aquatic collections years ago, but then it disappeared until the winter of 1970-71. Claude Johnston The bladderwort plants (Utricularia gibba), shown here out of water, appear as floating masses of small hairlike stems and leaves, with many beadlike bladders attached to the leaf axils. Flowers of the bladderwort are bright yellow and small, but showy. A low power magnifying glass will help one see the orchidlike beauty of this tiny bloom. ie Utricularia is an interesting plant, but it can become a problem when one is trying to grow tropical water lilies. Utricularia is a member of the bladderwort family, Lentibu- lariaceae, with several species found in the temperate zone and many more growing in the tropics. Some of the species growing in the tropics are terrestrial and may be found growing in moist soil, whereas the species found in our area are aquatic. In the Ozarks, Utricularia gibba and U. vulgaris are found in masses on mucky debris, on the surface of upland sink hole ponds, and other swampy areas as well. At first sight, one might think of the water surface as being covered with algae, but with closer observation, one can see the hairlike stems and leaves which make up the floating mass. Attached to the leaf axils are tiny transparent beadlike structures; under a hand lens or microscope these appear as tiny bladders. These flat pear-shaped bladders each have a mouth guarded by a hanging door. There are four stiff bristles near the lower free edge of the door that, when brushed by a small animal, distort that edge, causing the door to spring open. Water rushes into the bladder carry- ing the insect with it, and then the door closes. The solution digests the animal except for the shells and skeleton which remain within the bladder. The flowers are bright yellow and when seen in masses are quite showy. They stand above the surface of the water on stalks three to four inches high, bearing one to three flower buds. The open flower bears a resemblance to the Dancing Girl Orchid, the general shape and color being similar. The top half of the blossom is composed of three united petals; the lower half is hinged, and when an insect alights, the weight brings the lower petal down, revealing the two stamens and pistil. The blossom has a spur or tube which extends from the back of the lower petal and protrudes out at the bottom edge of the petal, giving it a hornlike appearance. When the flower has been fertilized, a small round capsule forms bearing the seeds. As it begins to increase in size, its weight brings the stalk down to the surface of the water where it floats until it bursts, scattering the mature seed on the surface of the water. The seeds sink or become lodged in bits of debris, and lie dormant until the following spring when they begin this cycle of life once again. 14 High Protein Corn in the Garden’s Collections Hugh Cutler if GARDEN HAS ONE of the world’s finest collections of Indian corn, gathered by a series of staff members and graduate students during years of study of plant evolution. Some of the ears were gathered as long as fifty years ago and are of kinds no longer grown. Many specimens are dried or carbonized cobs and fragments excavated from archeological sites. This collection is not only a valuable record of evolution of the New World’s most valuable crop but it also fills a utilitarian role as an index to variability and to the geographical distribution of characters which might be useful in agriculture. This function of the corn collection is similar to that which our herbarium performs in telling the location and time of fruiting of plants which contain drugs or might be used in plant breeding. A study of our corn, besides illustrating over 5,000 years of evolution, uncovers features which can improve existing corn or be used to create types of corn for new purposes. Once a desirable character is found in our collections, living seed can be recollected, or in many cases, found preserved at one of the seed storage centers established by the Department of Agriculture and the National Research Council. Protein is an essential part of the diet of man and his domesti- cated animals. Too little protein, or a deficiency of certain types 15 of protein, results in malnutrition, especially in young children who may be permanently damaged physically and mentally. Most of the poorer people in the world can afford little other protein than that contained in the grain crops they eat. In the Americas, and in some underdeveloped parts of Africa and Asia, corn is the major subsis- tence crop. Eight to ten percent of the grain is protein, but half of this is zein, a protein which cannot be utilized by man, hogs, and other single-stomached animals. For many years there have been attempts to increase the protein content. Most promising has been the discovery that two genes, or characters, called opaque-2 and floury-2, could increase the nutritional value so much that corn could potentially provide most of the protein needed in diets. Piglets grow more than three times faster with this new corn than with normal corn. Children with obvious signs of protein deficiency showed great improvement when fed the new corn. The opaque-2 and floury-2 genes reduce the amount of the unuseable zein and increase the amount of lysine, an amino acid which can be used by the human body. New varieties of corn with the high-lysine character are being grown in Colombia and on a small scale in the United States with work still going on to improve the quality of the corn and the yield per acre. A few months ago Dr. M. J. Wolf, who works on grain proper- ties for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Northern Research Division at Peoria, asked us to help him find a variation in South American Indian corn which might have value as a source of protein. He had found that some grains on a Peruvian variety of corn had two or more layers of cells in the aleurone, a layer which lies directly beneath the outer skin of the corn grain. Most corn grains have only a single layer of aleurone cells. Aleurone contains a higher concentration of protein than the rest of the grain, so any increase in volume of aleurone should increase the percentage of protein. The yellow color and the shape of Dr. Wolf's Peruvian grains were similar to those of corn from eastern Bolivia which belongs to an unusual and highly variable race called Coroico, after the town in Bolivia where the first collections were made. Most corn of this race is grown farther east and variants of the race have spread into Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, and Paraguay. 16 Claude Johnston Coroico type corn from Reyes, Bolivia. The varied colors of the ears are in the high protein multicellular second layer of the kernels. This layer of cells is called the aleurone. In the middle ear, a reddish tint in the outside skin of the kernels masks the oranges and yellows, making the cob appear a dark reddish-brown. The most extreme examples of Coroico corn in our collection come from near the town of Reyes, in the Province of Beni, Bolivia. They are grown by Indian families in clearings in the forests along the streams or on wooded rises of the predominantly grassland country. The arrangement of grains on the ear, and the colors and structure of the grains, cob, and plant are so distinct that it seemed likely that there would be other unusual features. The first Coroico grains we examined turned out to have six layers of cells in the aleurone, but, since these grew progressively smaller towards the inside of the grain, the total thickness of the aleurone was only about twice that found in a normal grain. As our studies progressed we even found a few ears with as many as seven aleurone layers. Several ears from our collection were sent to Dr. Wolf who found that, in addition to increased protein, the grains contained a higher proportion of lysine. Many of the cells also contained more than one nucleus, suggesting that the aleurone layer was still actively multiplying. 17 The seed from our collections is too old to germinate so we are searching through lists and descriptions of viable seed in storage in the several seed storage facilities, and asking collectors who will visit Bolivia to obtain seed. The next steps will be to select the best Bolivian seed for crossing with strains adapted to the United States and to see how the multi-aleurone layer character is inherited. Eventually it should be possible to combine it with other characters for more and better quality proteins into a high yielding corn adapted to the day length of the corn belt, and into other corn stocks adapted to lower latitudes. If corn can be bred so that it has more and better protein and still has high yields, it could reduce or eliminate the need for more expensive animal supplementary feeds, like soybean products, and thus decrease the production cost of all kinds of meat. High protein corn can help to reduce the malnutrition which is now found in many parts of the world, especially in underdeveloped tropical countries. Inventories of the available kinds of corn, such as we have in the Garden's collection, are necessary for us to be able to quickly locate other characters which might be useful in fighting hunger in a growing world. 0 The Partnership of Hollies and Birds There is a natural relationship between spiny or thorny evergreens such as a red cedar or a holly and the small birds that roost in their branches during cold winter nights. The birds have shelter from the cold and protection from hawks and owls. The evergreens have the advantage of the bird droppings which wash off with the snows and rains and fertilize the tree. Hollies in particular are strong feeders; they grow their best in very rich soil. By scattering bird seed at the base of holly bushes one one encourages bird visitors and indirectly brings the hollies the fertilizer which is best for them. E.A. 18 The Missouri Botanical Garden in Panama Thomas B. Croat ESS THAN A MILE from the famous Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal lies the beautiful 380 acre Summit Gardens. This garden, one of the finest in Central America, is operated by the Panama Canal Company. Formerly it served as an introduction station for plants from all over the world. The garden’s plantings now number in the thousands and many species have been introduced from it into all parts of the Republic of Panama. Summit Gardens and the undisturbed area surrounding it make a fine location for a center of botanical research. There are very few Author photo The author is shown here examining living plants in the comfort of Summit Her- barium. Having living specimens to back up the pressed and dried herbarium speci- mens is very important to the description and study of tropical plants. 19 comparable situations anywhere in the tropics of the world. When you consider that two-thirds of the world’s people live in the tropics and that they are, on the average, undernourished, the importance of such botanical centers is obvious. With these facts in mind, meetings were held in 1969 between representatives of the Panama Canal Company and of the Missouri Botanical Garden to make arrangements for the establishment of an herbarium and library at Summit Gardens. The institution, named Summit Herbarium and Library, is designed to stimulate and expedite botanical research in the Canal Zone and other parts of Panama. Following the official establishment of Summit Herbarium and Library, I went to Panama in early 1970 as curator. The Panama Canal Company has provided a large air-conditioned area for the herbarium and library as well as facilities for drying plants. In addi- tion, space has been provided nearby for living quarters for the curator of this new scientific facility, and grounds as well as green- house space are available for growing experimental plants. _ P Author photo The Missouri Botanical Garden’s trailer house, where the curator of Summit Herbarium and Library lives, looks out over the nursery area of the Summit Gardens. 20 Author photo Summit Herbarium and Library is located on the air-conditioned second floor of the Summit Gardens’ Administration building. The plants of the tropical forest are lit- erally right outside the door, and easily available for study. Florida State University, through the efforts of Dr. Edwin L. Tyson, has loaned two excellent microscopes plus some older scopes for use in the herbarium. Dr. Tyson teaches for FSU which has a branch in Panama serving the military and civilian population of the Canal Zone. The position of curator is funded by Missouri Botanical Garden which also provides a house trailer for the curator and his family on the grounds of Summit Gardens. The operating budget for the scientific program is provided by the Missouri Botanical Garden through a National Science Foundation Grant.* This has made possible the purchase of new herbarium cases and a vehicle for field trips, the general care of the herbarium, and the expenses of collecting in Panama. The herbarium at present contains some 12,000 mounted speci- mens. Of these, 6000 were contributed on long-term loan by the Army Tropic Test Center and were collected largely by Dr. Tyson and his students. In addition to Dr. Tyson's continuing support of *NSF GB-26639 issued to Walter H. Lewis. 21 the institution, the Missouri Botanical Garden has sent approxi- mately 6000 plant specimens from its herbarium. These consist of duplicates of material I collected on Barro Colorado Island and material collected by Missouri Botanical Garden expeditions in other parts of Panama. The library at Summit Gardens consists of agricultural bulletins, books on horticulture, and many important taxonomic works on the flora of Central America. The Garden in St. Louis sends dupli- cate books and journals that are pertinent to tropical botany. The herbarium and library at Summit Gardens in Panama are essential to systematic and ecological research in the tropics and to our botanical explorations of Panama. Without a permanent base, the logistical problems of such trips are overwhelming. The tropical station, with its literature and living plants, also provides botan- ists and students with valuable back-up material for the plants they collect. It is important that our botanical explorations be stepped up in the next five to ten years before the tropical forests are completely destroyed. A more complete understanding of these tropical areas is essential if we are to learn new ways of practicing tropical agri- culture that will help these vast equatorial regions of the world reach some measure of economic and political stability. Unfortunately it has become increasingly difficult for the Garden to obtain federal funds for the operation of Summit Her- barium and Library at the very time when studies of the tropics are most urgent. The accelerated pace of destruction of the tropical forests signifies clearly that much of what the human race can ever learn about them must be learned in the next few decades. For this reason, the Garden will make every effort to continue operation of the tropical facility in Summit Gardens in the years to come. Summit Herbarium and Library is a valuable part of Missouri Botanical Garden's basic botanical research.0 22 What’s Going on at the Garden? New Ex Officio Members, Board of Trustees R. WILLIAM H. DANFORTH, who recently succeeded Dr. Thomas H. Eliot as Chancellor of Washington Univer- sity, is an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Dr. Danforth, who was Vice-Chancellor for Medical Affairs for five years and a member of the medical faculty of Washing- ton University since 1957, is a 1951 gradu- ate of Harvard Medical School. He returned to his native St. Louis to intern and later become a resident in medicine at Barnes Hospital, and an assistant in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital. As a Fellow in Cardiology at Washington University he began research in the metabolic processes that underlie the failing heart. As a result of these and later investi- gations he was elected to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigations, the country’s most elite group of clinical investigators. This is just one of a long list of honors and awards that have come to Dr. Danforth in his distinguished career as phy- sician, researcher, and educator. In addition to being Chancellor of Washington University, Dr. Danforth is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Danforth 23 Foundation; on the Board of Trustees, American Youth Foundation; President of the Board of Governors, St. Louis Christmas Carols Association; on the Board of Trustees, Princeton University; Ad- visory Member, Alliance for Regional Community Health; member of the Board of Directors, Higher Education Coordinating Council of Greater St. Louis; and a member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Danforth is married to the former Elizabeth Gray, and is the father of four children. Daniel L. Schlafly is a returning ex officio member of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Mr. Schlafly succeeds Malcom W. Martin as President of the Board of Education of St. Louis. He is a devoted friend of education, having been a member of the Board of Edu- cation since 1953 and its president three terms. During those terms, he also served > on the Garden’s Board of Trustees. Mr. 7 Schlafly received the St. Louis Award in 1960 “for his efforts to improve the quality of education in the city of St. Louis,” and was a charter member of the Higher Education Coordinating Council. Currently he is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Louis University, having served in this capacity since 1967. Mr. Schlafly, who is Chairman of the Board of Arkansas Beverage Company, is a native St. Louisan, a graduate of St. Louis University High School and of Georgetown University in 1933. He is married to the former Adelaide Mahaffey and is the father of three children. Tower Grove House Mrs. Warren Kirkbride, Chairman, Mrs. Jerome Kircher, and Mrs. John S. Lehmann represented the Historical Committee of Tower Grove House at a recent staff meeting where it was announced that Mrs. Virginia M. Brewer, who joined the Garden as Tower Grove 24 House Manager in April, 1968, is retiring to move to Ohio where her family now lives. Dr. Raven presented a handsome and unusual Victorian lap secretary to Mrs. Brewer in recognition of the fine job she has done. Mr. Hibbs, Assistant to the Director, announced that Miss Virginia M. Drummond would be the new manager of the house effective November 1971. Horticulture Bob Dingwall reports that, ‘With our speeded-up program of improving facilities and making better use of existing space, we are now able to begin broadening our scope and getting into a posi- tion where, through research, we can better serve the study of horticulture.” The work on the Garden’s grounds continues with a major project of pruning large trees, as well as the planting of new speci- Nonrstighe Co Eg Se Re Se Claude Johnston ih ~ ia ~* Garden volunteers regularly demonstrate growing and planting skills and methods in the Growing Center. 25 mens. New trees and shrubs donated by Coles Nursery, Circleville, Ohio and by Mr. Clarence Barbre of Webster Groves have been set out in the on-going program of replacing old specimens and adding new species and clones to the Garden’s living collections. The generous support and help of the Boxwood Society has spurred the start of the Anderson Memorial Boxwood Garden, a living tribute to the late Dr. Edgar Anderson who was so well-known to botany and St. Louis. Two fairly recent projects are proceeding in good style. The organic garden, first planted two years ago, will be enlarged in 1972 and used as a vegetable test garden, again with the help of donated seed and supplies. The Garden's lake area project is also being ex- panded, with more wildflowers and ferns being planted each year. The All-American Rose Test Garden Committee named Alfred Saxdal as their official judge to replace retired Judge F. B. McMath. A new test garden was started this year with the All-American An- nual Test Garden Committee supplying the trial seed. This area will be expanded in 1972 with more plant material from local sources. Increasingly, our midwest gardeners will be able to see new offerings of roses and annuals and observe their performance under our very specific climatic conditions. In the growing ranges, renovation continues, with automatic watering and shading plus new fibreglass roofing now installed in four houses. Improved growing conditions, new methods of growing, labor and space saving practices are making the entire Horticulture ce Claude Johnston The Growing Center has become a popular spot for lectures and workshops on the many aspects of horticulture. 26 ay . 4 ite, ' r 4 veh ca ¢ b 4 ef Si y 3 Claude Johnston The 1971 Chrysanthemum Show emphasized the Oriental origin of this traditional) fall flower. Ladies skilled in the Japanese art of Ikebana demonstrated this stark and beautiful style of flower arranging at the Preview Party. Shown here at the Pre- view Party are (lower right photo, left to right) Director and Mrs. Peter H. Raven, Leroy Fisher, the designer of the Chrysanthemum Show; Mrs. Walter Stern, Presi- dent of the Friends of the Garden; and Mrs. Robert E. Kresko, Preview Party Chairman. 2/ Department more efficient. The flower shows now have more of an emphasis upon new varieties of the popular flowers and an increased focus upon educational features. The Growing Center is aiming, as funds allow, toward becoming an information center for the whole Garden. The greenhouse just north of the Climatron will soon be established as a Mediterranean garden, showing plant material from five areas of the world that have similar climate and geography. In the Climatron, the work continues in replanting, improving drainage, contouring the planting areas, reducing plant duplications, and expanding the exhibited species and varieties. The jungle as- pects of the Climatron are apparent in the rapid growth of both plant and animal life, which necessitates a constant schedule of prun- ing, training, and cleanup. This ongoing attention minimizes plant loss from insects and disease. The Climatron pool still presents a problem which we hope to improve through better circulation and filtration. Project STAY, now in its second year, is gaining through experi- ence and is now more able to give the enrolled Soldan High students a better opportunity to gain job experience and a new interest in com- pleting their high school program. This program has had significant success in decreasing high school dropouts and thus making the whole STAY program of great value to the St. Louis community. The Garden has planned, carried out, and is maintaining the plantings in the main foyer of the new Equitable Assurance Building in downtown St. Louis. This extension of the Garden’s talent and assets into the downtown area should attract more people to the Garden itself. Arboretum “The Missouri Botanical Garden Arboretum and Nature Re- serve is now in the midst of its renovation and development program aimed toward making it one of the country’s finest centers for en- vironmental education,” Dave Goudy said in his report. “We have renovated the public facilities, including a Visitor Center, classroom and meeting place in the Trail House, and an improved and extended trail system. 28 Claude Johnston This view across the Meramec River looks toward the newly acquired Morton prop- erty from the farm side of the Arboretum. 29 “We now have a tour vehicle that provides a narrated hour tour of the Arboretum,” Superintendent Goudy continued, “as well as a descriptive brochure and an Ecological Guide to the Trails. Trained naturalists provide groups with educational tours concentrating on ecology and man’s role in the environment. In addition to Garden programs, the National Park Service utilized the Arboretum for its Summer Adventures Program, bringing a field experience in envi- ronmental awareness to nearly 1500 children.” “This summer, for the first time, the Pitzman Program was held at the Arboretum, with 360 young people being bussed from the Garden to the Gray Summit Nature Reserve,” Sandra Thornton of the Education Department reported. “The program, now in its four- teenth season, has always been well received, but this year the re- action of students and parents was even more enthusiastic. Each of the ten day sessions was limited to ninety students, from seven to sixteen years of age. Children in the Garden's Pitzman Program study pond life on the edge of the Arbo- retum’s Pinetum Lake. 30 “The instructors, including three college students, Kenneth Peck, and me, emphasized natural history in the field, studying the plants and animals of the Arboretum. We all had to be alert for unusual and unpredictable appearances of the local natives. For instance, what do you do with a tough, wary raccoon accidently trapped in one garbage can, and a young, thoroughly shaken raccoon trapped in another garbage can? (You clear a very wide path through the children and carefully release the raccoons in the direction of their concrete slab hiding place.) “We kept our program flexible so that we could shift classes around in case of rain or extreme heat, and to take best advantage of all the varied areas of the Arboretum. Within walking distance of our Trail House headquarters there were a small lake, glades, woods, a spring with cool drinkable water, a flood plain, Brush Creek, and the Meramec River,” Miss Thornton continued. “Lanier Criger arranged for members of the Audubon Society to teach bird study twice each week. Other interesting guest teachers included an officer from the Missouri Department of Conservation, a lady with a bird nest collection, Mr. Criger speaking on wolves, and Bill Voelker with his live hawk and owl showing a feather col- lection and telling about his studies of hawks. “The goal of the Pitzman Program has always been to teach an understanding of an appreciation for all living things. This year we were fortunate to be able to use the Arboretum to teach the concept of plant and animal communities while on hikes, our walking natural history lessons,” Sandra Thornton concluded. Dave Goudy reported that the Arboretum staff is working with the Parkway School District in a pilot program to develop ways of integrating the Arboretum as a field site into the regular science cur- riculum of the schools. This blend of academic and field experience is crucial in our efforts to teach mankind more about his physical environment. We hope that the Parkway Program will develop into a program for all schools in the St. Louis area. Six hundred acres of farmland south of the Meramec River is being considered for the development of a model farm, perhaps of the late 1800’s vintage. As with our other major plans, this is depen- dent upon our receiving active outside support. eH | Library The Garden's Library is a valuable botanical asset that began in Henry Shaw's time and was encouraged by Shaw's scientific ad- visor, Dr. George Engelmann. The book collection includes rare pre-Linnaean books, Linnaean books, folios of great beauty and value in both text and illustration, an extensive general collection of botanical publications, periodicals dating back to the early nine- teenth century, maps that tie the modern world to the earlier worlds of exploration, microfiche for reference to major herbarium collec- tions of other botanical gardens, and manuscripts, some of which are only now being translated and evaluated. Eugenia Maddox, Librarian, reports that current and ongoing activities of the Library include the selection of new books and periodicals that will make the collections more valuable to the botanical world, and the cataloging and classifying of new books. A major project that is aimed toward the Library’s move into the new Lehmann Building in mid 1972 is that of recataloging and re- classifying the entire collection; checking open shelves for titles that should be in the Linnaean collection; and the collecting, sorting, and indexing of manuscripts. Eventually the photograph file, now being mounted and labeled by the Bulletin staff will be filed and indexed by the Library archivist. Generous gifts from the National Science Foundation, and the Allen P. and Josephine B. Green Foundation have made many of the Library’s current programs possible. The restoration of the Redoutés Les Liliacées was made possible by a gift from Mrs. John Lehmann. The Library’s collection and research facilities are available, not only to Garden staff members, but also to any serious student. Those interested should contact the Library. Herbarium The activities of the Herbarium include three major functions, reported Walter Lewis at a recent staff meeting. The first of these is collection of plant specimens in the field, which is the basis of the entire systematic program and has to be nur- tured and developed at all times. About 30,000 specimens are added 32 annually to our collection which now totals some 2.1 million plants from all over the world. This collection represents an historic and current record of the Earth’s biosphere which must be understood and preserved for the sake of all living things. The second of the Herbarium’s activities focuses upon research conducted by staff and students. Research projects include the work being done on the Flora of Panama project; a detailed analysis of cellular components of the Texas star by John Semple; scanning electron microscope studies of pollen types causing allergies in man; and studies such as that on the evolution of bignoniaceous trees. The third major function of the Herbarium is its responsibility to provide an interesting, relevant educational program, not only to Garden students, but to the community as well. The college program has been enhanced by the establishment of the Institute for Systematic and Evolutionary Botany (ISEB), a cooperative venture involving the four large universities in Greater St. Louis with the Garden as its epicenter. Thus far ISEB has con- centrated on the graduate program, but a committee is now exploring the possibility of beginning an undergraduate ISEB course, hopefully in fall of 1972. Dr. Lewis said, “Right now, our direct contact with the public is through the Engelmann Botanical Club, a recently revitalized organization that is looking for new members, anyone interested in botany, natural history, and our Missouri countryside. For a recent meeting, I gave a slide talk entitled Plants in Africa, and the Club has also had Saturday excursions into the Ozarks. Membership is currently at about fifty, with more interest being shown as the programs become better known. “Through our plant collection, research, and education programs, we are enhancing the knowledge of plants and, in our small way, contributing to the betterment of mankind and the world in which we live,” Dr. Lewis concluded. Maintenance and Engineering “Work that's not directly involved with plants, books, or plant specimens generally falls into the responsibility of the Maintenance and Engineering Department,” said Jim Hampton recently. ‘This 33 Claude Johnston Renovation of the growing ranges has included installation of fibreglass roofing, and a complete revamping of heating system and growing benches. Improved grow- ing conditions are making the Horticulture Department much more efficient. 34 Claude jolnston Concrete walkways, new fibreglass roofing, better arrangements of benches, and improved heating and watering systems have made the care of the Garden's orchid collection not only easier, but better for the plants. department’s work is really a behind-the-scenes operation. For instance, we put in a tremendous number of man hours in all seasons on the maintenance and repair of the boiler system. Just think what would happen if this heating system were out of commission for even two hours during a winter cold snap. Probably every tender greenhouse plant in the Garden would die.” This department, which comprises about a dozen men including a few who are part time, oversees all new construction as well as the constant program of renovation and upkeep of building and equip- ment. In addition it is responsible for admissions, the Flower Wagon, security, and the setting-up, special lighting, and clean-up for special parties and other Garden functions. Garden security is excellent, in a time when this seems a major problem. Better use of a night lighting system in key areas and the efficient use of available watchmen has kept the Garden safe from the current waves of vandalism so prevalent in other city areas. The watchmen are vital, not only to security, but also to the greenhouses as they are responsible for checking night temperatures in the grow- ing houses. (1 35 Reader Survey Response HE RESPONSE to our Reader Survey that was printed in the September-October, 1971 Bulletin was so very generous that those of us who write for and work on the magazine will bask in the glow of our loyal readers’ thoughtful comments for a long time. There is always a barrier between the producer of the printed page and the reader of that same printed page. As we plan our Bulletin, we do try very hard to leap the barrier and look at our articles as well as the physical makeup of the publication from our readers’ point of view. Our Reader Survey reaffirmed many ideas we have long held about the place and purpose of the Bulletin, and very delightfully brought us into direct contact with our audience. (People really do read the Bulletin!!!) We picked October 22 as the cutoff date for assessing the re- sponses, and first discovered that we received a 3.6% return, which for this kind of a survey is very good indeed. Circulation Manager Clarence Cherry then tabulated all the answers, figuring the per- centages on the different subjects. We are happy to report that over 40% of our subscribers always read the Bulletin, and 19.4% read it from cover to cover. Another 31.6% frequently read it. In addition we have a recorded 3.06% who say they never read the Bulletin. (So who filled out those forms!) Our readers’ interests focus mainly on subjects pertaining to home gardening, landscaping, and horticulture. Following close behind is the desire for more articles on environmental topics including the natural history of the St. Louis area, conservation, and ecology. Our format for 1972 includes a renewed emphasis on these subjects as well as how they tie in with the Missouri Botanical Garden and the work of its staff members. The establishment of the Arboretum as an environmental center and nature preserve; the revitalized pro- gram in horticultural studies and test gardening; and the continuing programs in botanical research will provide a rich source of material for the Bulletin. We hope our readers will continue to comment upon and crit- icize the Bulletin as our new issues are published. 0 36 STAFF Peter H. Raven, Director ADMINISTRATIVE David Mitter, Controller and Business Manager RESEARCH & RESEARCH SUPPORT SYSTEMATICS: Walter H. Lewis, Director of Herbarium Marilyn Andreasen Herbarium Supervisor John Averett Research Associate Julius Boehmer Herbarium Associate Thomas B. Croat Curator Marshall R. Crosby Assistant Botanist, Curator of Cryptogams Sheri Davis Herbarium Assistant John D. Dwyer Research Associate Richard C. Keating Research Associate Linda Vollmar, Herbarium Assistant Terry Luikart Research Assistant Bruce MacBryde Post Doctorate Fellow Viktor Muehlenbach Research Associate Joan W. Nowicke Research Associate Royce L. Oliver Research Associate Duncan M. Porter Curator, Flora of Panama John C. Ridgway, Research Associate ECONOMIC BOTANY: Leonard Blake Research Associate Hugh Cutler Curator of Useful Plants LIBRARY: Eugenia Maddox Librarian Erna R. Eisendrath Botanical Historian Brenda Gieseker Manuscripts Cataloguer Carla Lange Assistant Librarian Marion Koch Head Cataloguer Leanne Miller Assistant Cataloguer ECOLOGY: Alan Covich Research Associate Daniel Lane, Ecologist-Naturalist Owen J. Sexton, Research Ecologist PUBLIC SERVICES Ladislaus Cutak Horticulturist and Manager of Public Relations Clarence Barbre Instructor Mrs. Robert Compton Manager, Community Services Barbara Perry Lawton Editor Kenneth O. Peck Head of Education Sandra Thornton Educational Associate HORTICULTURE & MAINTENANCE Robert J. Dingwall, Chief Horticulturist James Hampton, Chief Engineer and Superintendent of Operations Clifford Benson Plant Breeder Paul Brockman Grounds Foreman Clara Fieselmann Gardener, Climatron Leroy Fisher Greenhouse Superintendent David Goudy Superintendent, Arboretum George Greene Curator of Old Roses Claude Johnston Grower, Photographer Paul A. Kohl Consultant Jack Pavia Assistant Engineer Marion Pfeiffer Orchid Grower James Rhodes Assistant Greenhouse Superintendent Alfred Saxdal Grounds Superintendent THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN... ...one of the world’s leading botanical gardens and botanical re- search centers, occupies seventy acres in the heart of St. Louis. The Garden was established in 1858 by a prosperous St. Louis merchant, Henry Shaw, and is known locally as Shaw’s Garden, The Garden, a non-profit institution, relies for support solely upon contribu- tions from the public, the Arts and Education Council, and income from the Shaw estate. The Garden receives no city or state tax support. The Garden contains many fine display greenhouses including the world-famous Climatron, extensive collections of orchids, water lilies, camellias, and roses. The Floral Display House is the setting for the Garden’s major seasonal flower shows, as well as floral and plant displays by horticultural societies. Courses in botany, natural history, and horticulture for adults and children are conducted by the Garden staff. Volunteer guides are available for special tours. The Garden is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May through October, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. November through April. On Sundays and holidays throughout the year the Garden remains open until 5 p.m. Visitors may easily reach the Missouri Botanical Garden by auto and public transportation. It is only a short distance from major hotels and residential areas; south of Highway #40 and east of Kingshighway, on Tower Grove Avenue between Magnolia and Shaw. The Missouri Botanical Garden Arboretum and Nature Reserve, 2200 acres of rolling Ozark plateau and Meramec River valley, established at Gray Summit, Missouri in 1926, is open to the public. Support your Missouri Botanical Garden and take part in its activities through the Friends of the Garden. Information may be obtained from the Main Gate, by mail, or phone (314-865-0440). Missouri Botanical Garden 2315 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, Mo. 63110 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN VOLUME LX NUMBER 2 MARCH-APRIL 1972 BOARD OF TRUSTEES C. Powell Whitehead, President Tom K. Smith, Jr., First Vice President Joseph H. Bascom, Second Vice President Howard F. Baer Henry Hitchcock Clarence C. Barksdale =A. Timon Primm III Sam] C. Davis — Sydney M. Shoenberg, Jr. Leicester B. Faust = Warren McKinney Shapleigh Robert R. Hermann Harry E. Wuertenbaecher, Jr. HONORARY TRUSTEES: George L. 7 = ch d $t. sonnet nate p 2, Jules D. ell, : : ce of St» Louis e tes, ayor, itv oO ; a3 anf . Sch i A sc damasisak | Universit, President, Boar tducation of St. Louis Stes f Mae) FRIE Sete RDEN EN'S E wae RD OFFICE 1 ™ mj Mrs. Walter resident Mrs, G. Carroll Striblin “ Mfs. Landon Y. J x V ice-Presid %. Mrs.\B. Lav s, Jia See ce- Presiden Compton, Ex “4 teers ve a wane ir ~ *? ir) Mrs. E. Lawre : Co : ceed ee a 3 eae Par te * oe \ on aie yace. Le ee | atl ‘ Aad * ah CTU aati oe att ate ws PA > * *,e oe * 6 «! ant te o> - HISTORICAL COMMITTEE Mrs. W. Warren Kirkbride, Chairman Mrs. William G. Bowman Mrs. John S. Lehmann George Brooks — Mrs. Neal S. Wood Mrs. Jerome F. Kircher — Mrs. Elizabeth N. Young Miss Virginia Drummond, Mgr. Tower Grove House The Missouri Botanical Garden is a Fund Member of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. The Peony (cover) Carla Lange HE COVER of this Bulletin is an illustration of the peony (Pae- onia officinalis), a member of the family of the Paeoniaceae taken from Hieronymus Bock’s Kreutterbuch published in 1546. The peony or paeonia was named by the ancient Greeks in memory of the mythical physician Paeon. Homer reported that Paeon cured Pluto with this plant after he was wounded by Hercules. Paeon supposedly first received the flower on Mount Olympus trom the mother of Apollo and it was said to be the first plant used tor medical purposes. The ancient Greeks held the peony in great esteem, believing in its divine origin. Even in later days it was considered a miraculous plant and it was believed that no evil spirits would invade the places where it was planted, and that even a small piece of the root of the peony worn around the neck as an amulet would protect the bearer from all kinds of afflictions. In Germany, the peony is known as the Pentecostal Rose (Pfingstrose) and Hieronymus Bock says in his herbal that in all of Germany you will hardly find a more beautiful, lovely rose with roots, stems and flowers than the noble rose named after the old Paeon. Even though the medical values of the peony are not as numer- ous as those of other plants, they were held to be unfailing. Bock says in his Kreutterbuch that the root boiled in water was believed i to cure intestinal ailments, boiled in wine it was used for diseases of the stomach. He further says that twelve ground-up seeds of the peony taken internally prevents belching and vomiting and that fifteen of the crushed seeds prevent horrible nightmares. Since the times of Hippocrates and Theophrastus it has been used as a cure for epilepsy; Pliny mentions the plant as a cure for the falling disease. Apuleius, the Roman philosopher of the second century A.D. said that the peony is a powerful remedy for insanity. Paeonia officinalis is a native of central and south-central Europe. It has been cultivated in European gardens perhaps longer than any other exotic flower. In this country it was considered an old-fashioned flower and in colonial times no New England garden failed to have its “piny bush.” Oliver Wendell Holmes called it ‘‘an aristocratic flower.” In Japan and China hundreds of varieties of peonies are culti- vated and the Chinese named it the ‘‘queen flower.” In both countries it is being used extensively in art and decoration. In the language of flowers the peony stands for ‘‘accomplish- ment” and, curiously enough, also for “bashful shame” as well as for ‘anger or a frown.” Its color and fragrance are closer to the rose than any other flower. The peony is one of the most common and hardy herbaceous perennials. It grows in a wide variety of soil and should be planted in the fall and well fertilized. It flowers in May and June, the color of the flowers ranging from white through pink and red. Peonies are rarely attacked by insects and are rather immune to various plant diseases. They can stand any climate and do not require any covering even in the severest cold. Only two species of the genus Paeonia are native to North America. These grow on the West Coast in foothills and on moun- tains up to an elevation of approximately 7000 feet, from Baja Cali- fornia north to British Columbia and east to Wyoming.) MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN VOLUME LX NUMBER 2 EDITOR Barbara Perry Lawton EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, STAFF ARTIST Marjorie Richardson CIRCULATION Clarence Cherry EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Robert J. Dingwall Kenneth O. Peck Peter H. Raven EDITORIAL & PUBLICATION OFFICE Missouri Botanical Garden 2315 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63110 Phone: (314)-865-0440 Published bi-monthly by the Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Subscription price: $5.00 a year, domestic; $6.00 a year, foreign; $1.00 per single copy. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at St. Louis, Missouri BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 1972 CONTENTS THE POONVsc5 cee Sheers eeeee teens - Carla Lange St. Louis Gardening... i 03