Asa Gray Correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium

8) hyalinam duplo supernante. Sandy places in the Brazos bottom. fl. July. 214. Eragrostis radicans n.sp. culmo (annuo ?) prostrato, radicante ramoso, vaginis ore barbatis foliis que pilosis subfasciculatis; panicula composita laxa, ovata, spiculis pedicellatis, 16-22 floris; gleuna exteriore acuta trinervia, nervis ciliata et scabriuscula, interireum apice hylaino laceram paulo superante.

Sandy places in the Brazos bottom. fl. July with the other species Eragrostis P. reptans Michx which was also collected in the same locality. It is similar in habit especially with E. radicans, but has spikes with 18 to 26 florets; florets only half as large as those of E. rad. inner glume hardly half the size of the outer one. From E. prostrata it is distinguished by the looser panicle, by the many flowered spikes, much smaller florets, by the aculish (not long acumiate) outer glume, and by the broader inner glume with two more strongly ciliate nerves. ______________ As you want to print the labels in the list of the whole I must give you the locality etc. of the following, which I had not done before, you have only the names: 5. Clematis reticulata Walt. Thickets near Houston June 6. Anemone caroliniana DC. Dry prairies near Houston Febr. & March 7. Cocculus carolinus DC. fertile shady woods near water courses, Houston, June. 8. Strept. hyat. {Streptanthus hyacinthoides} Hook. Sandy ssterile prairies west of the Brazos. July. 9. Cristatella jamesii T & Gr Sandy spots in the prairies west of the Brazos August. 10 Cleomella mexicana DC Nakes clayey spots in high prairies west of Houston. April to August. 11. Poly. {Polygala} leptocaulis T & Gr. Sandy sunny banks of rivulets, west of the Brazos, August 12. P. {Polygala} incarnata Lin. Wet prairies, Houston, April 13. Krameria lanceolata Torr. Common in prairies from Houston to the Brazos, April to June. 14. Drosera brevifolia Pursh Wet prairies, Galveston island, April. 15. Helianthemum polifoliam Torr & Gr. [I believe I have shown you that you must think of another name] Dry prarieis, Galveston & Houston. May. 16. Lechea drummondii T & Gr. Dry sterile prairies, Galveston island, May. with No. 15. 18. Paronychia drummondii T & Gr. Sandy prairies east & west of the Brazos July 19. {Paronychia} setacea T & Gr. Prairies west of the Brazos-bottom July. 23 Xanthoxylon {Zanthoxylum} carolinianum Lam. In fertile cane brakes along water near Houston. fl. in March. Trees 30' {feet} high 2 inches thick, called pepper tree or toothache tree 25. Malvaviscus drummondii T & Gr. Wet prairies, ditches, Houston, August 26. Vitis bipinnata T & Gr. Fertile prairies, Houston, June 27 Vicia ludoviciana Nutt; In the high grass of the prairies on open woods, Galveston island & Houston, April. 29. Rhynchosia minima DC. In hard clayey soil, Houston Septemb. 30. {Rhynchosia} menispermoidea DC. In hard clayey soil, Houston Septemb. 33. Tephrosia virginiana Pers. var. holosericea T & Gr. common in dry prairies west of the Brazos. June, July. 34 Indigofera leptosepala Nutt. In clayer soil in the prairies from Houston to the Brazos. June, July 37 Amorpha paniculata T & Gr. Margin of brackish water on the coast and of freshwater rivulets near the Brazos, always in thickets, July.

12) makes some considerable blunders, in referring {Cuscuta} alaba = planiflora to C. major and minor. They are quite distinct. He does not even mention the species of Hooker's flora, C. umbrosa etc. — I was amused or puzzled with Rafinesque's species pag. 190. Living in the region where his 3 species are collected, I ought to be able to recognize them, but it is absolutely impossible. C. pamdoxa is probably my Lepidanche, the name is appropriate and a few of the characters, but the others I are quite differen are not to be found. —

Choisy must be mistaken in describing his C. micrantha, pag 175, amongst those with filiform stigmas; the drawing gives it capitate ones; and the analogy is also for capitate stigmas. If it is so, and if we take away the anomalous C. monogyna we find the interesting result that the Cuscutaceae with filiform stigmas inhabit Europe, Africa, and the greater part of Asia to the Eastindies & Nepaul. — The second section inhabit all America, all the islands of the Pacific and extent to its western coast in China and the Eastindies.

— A. Braun sent me a letter a few days ago in which he mentions a Cuscuta hassiaca, found in Germany with capitate stigmas — but I suppose it is an American species, introduced or naturalized the same as C. epilinum is here or as C. corymbosa {Ruiz & Pav.} Chois pag. 180. is in some parts of Europe. I shall soon get specimens.

C. babylonica tab 1. fig. 1 must be very interesting on account of the calyx and the undivided scales (if correctly [re?]). — C. arabica I have got my self and shall examine soon, the scales are also remarkable, if time.

C. prismatica III, 2 is remarkable on account of the absence of scales if true C. glomerata IV. 1. lobes too acute, stamen too short; ovary good. C. compacta Juss. is certainly your plant, and the species figured undoubtedly your alabamen species; the leaf is a poor representation of prinos glaber! the coroll, 6, stiff, the scales as in all the others on this and most plates very unnatural; the ovary bad. — C. adpressa must these [four?] stand for western species, C. gronovii Willd is our common plant, but if the ovary fig. 8 approaches to nature it must represent an ovary of C. oxycarpa! —

9) 39. Dalea aurea Nutt. Dry clayey soil in prairies and on steep banks of rivulets and in ravines wet of the Brazos. July & August 40.Petalost obovatum {Petalostemon obovatus} T & Gr. Sterile prairies 16 miles west of San Felipe on the Brazos nearly past flowering in August. 41. {Petalostemum} phleoides T & Gr. β microphyllus T & Gr. Sandy prairies west of the Brazos, July. 42. {Petalostemum} violaceum Michx. β pubescens In fertile close black soil, prairies west of the Brazos, July. 43. {Petalostemum} multiflorum Nutt. Dry prairies, from Houston to the Brazos. June to Aug. 44. Trifolium reflexum Lin. Wed prairies, Galveston island, May. 47. Mimosa strigillosa Torr & Gr. in clayey soil in prairies; common in old roads near Houston April to June and through summer. 48 {Acacia} lutea Leav. Moist prairies, especially in clayey soil, Houston April to June 49. {Acacia} hirta Nutt Open woods, Houston April to June & July, again in September 53. {Oenothera} drummondii Hook Downs of Galveston island, April & May; collected also in Octob. & November 54. {Oenothera} linifolia Nutt. Sterile prairies Galveston island & Houston; April & May 55. {Oenothera} speciosa Nutt. Prairies, Houston, April. 56. {Oenothera} rhombipetala Nutt. Prairies in sandy soil Galveston to the Brazos, June, July. 57. Ludwigia hirtella Raf. Pinewoods, Houston, very sparsely; fl. only for a short time, in May. 59. Jussiaea decurrens DC. On strikes and and ponds, Houston. Aug. Septemb. 60 Gaura sinuata Nutt. steep banks of rivulets west of the Brazos. Aug. 62. Eryngium coronatum T & Gr. Margin of bottom woods on the Brazos, Aug. 64 Leptocaulis echinatus DC. Damp prairies Galveston island, May. 65 Discopleura capillacea DC. Wet prairies & margins of ponds, Galveston & Houston, May 66. Spermacoce glabra Michx in shady thickets on the banks of Chocolate bayou 40 miles south of Houston. Septemb. 67. Mitreola petiolata Torr & Gr. Swampy thickets, and margins of brooks west of Houston, June. 68. Polypremum procumbens Lin Dry open woods, Houston, June 69. Hedyotis boscii DC. damp woods, Houston, May & June 70. Veronica angustifolia Mich. Wet prairies west of the Brazos. July. (The plant grows usually on dry sterile places, in open woods). 71 Liatris elegans Willd. Open woods, dry prairies, Houston to the Brazos August, Septemb. 72. Liatris mucronata DC. Wet prairies, Houston to the Brazos, Aug. Septemb. 74. {Liatris} pycnostachya Michx Wet prairies, Houston to the Brazos, August. 75. Eupatorium rotundifolium Lin Open woods & prairies, Houston, August 76. {Eupatorium} incarnatum Walt. In thickets near Houston, Septemb. October 77. Mikania scandens Willd In thickets on the margin of water, Houston, Sept. Octob. 78. Aster phyllolepis Torr & Gr. Prairies, Houston, June ot October. 79. Erigeron scaposus DC. on the quicksand of downs, Galveston island April; probably through the summer; collected again — Octob. and Novemb. 80 Gutierrezia texana T. & Gr. Dry barren soil, Houston, Septemb. & Octob. 81 Solidago nitida Torr & Gr. Prairies on Chocolate bayou, 50 miles south of Houston, Sept. 82. {Solidago} tenuifolia Pursh wet prairies near Houston October.

10) 83. Solidago leptocephala T.& Gr. Wet praries, Houston, Septemb, 84 Solidago bootii Hook Praries, Houston, July to September. 85. Sol. tortifolia Ell. Dry praries Houston, Septemb & October. 86. Bigelovia {Bigelowia} nudata DC. var. virgata T & Gr. Praries on Chocolate bayou 87. Bradburia hirtella T & Gr. Praries with hard clayey soil mixed with the pea-iron-ore, west of the Brazos, July & August. 88. Heterotheca scabra DC. Barren places, clayey soil, Houston, July to Sept. On Galveston island already in April and as late as November. 89 Chrysopsis graminifolia Nutt. dry open woods Houston, Aug & Sept. 90 Chrysopsis pilosa Nutt. Dry praries, Houston, Aug. Sept. 91. Ambrosia coronopifolia T & Gr. Subsaline praries near Galveston bay. July 92. Berlandiera tomentosa T & Gr. var. dealbata T & Gr. Sandy praries west of the Brazos. June 93 Zinnia multiflora Lin Sandy praries west of the Brazos. 95. Rudbeckia alismifolia Torr & Gr. Sandy praries from Houston to the Brazos. June 98. Helianthus occidentalis Kidd. var. plantagineus T & Gr. margin of the bottom lands of Oyster creek, 40 miles south of Houston; End of August. 99. Hel. rigidus Desf. Open woods, fertile prairies, Houston and southward 100 Hel. angustifolius Lin Wet prairies and open most woods, Houston June to October. 101 Coreopsis drummondii T & Gr. Sandy downs of Galveston island, May 102 Cor. tinctoria Nutt. Praries on Galveston island. May 103. Gaillardia picta Don. On soil formed by fragments of shells, Galveston island May 104 G. amblyodon Gay gravelly soil in praries and open woods on the millcreek, west of the Brazos, July. 105. G. lanceolata Michx Praries near the coast, Galveston island, July 106. Palafoxia texana DC. Wet praries, Houston. August 107. Hymenopappus artemisae folius {artemisiifolius} DC. Open oakwoods west of Houston June 108. Helenium tenuifolium Nutt. Open woods Houston, Septemb. 109. Leptopoda brachypoda T & G. var. purpurea. fertile prairies, Houston, May 110 Marshallia caespitosa Nutt. fertile prairies, Houston, in the beginning of April 113 Cirsium virginianum Michx. Dry prairies & open woods, Houston. March to May 114 Centaurea americana Nutt., moist fertile prairies, Houston. July 115 Pyrrhopappus carolinianus DC. Prairies and open woods, Houston. May June 116 Lobelia glandulosa Walt. Wet prairies & woods, near Houston. Septemb. 117. Vaccinium arboreum Marsh., Open woods, Houston. April. 118 {Asclepias} paupercula Michx. Swamps and wet thickets near Harrisburg 119. Lyonia maritima Ell. wet saline prairies, Galveston island. May 1843 122 Cantua coronopifolia Willd. Dry prairies and open woods west of the Brazos, July. 132 Heliotropium curassavicum Lin Dry places, [?], Galveston island, April & May 137. Herpestis cuneifolia Pursh, Margins of streams and ponds near Houston, June, July. 138. Capraria multifida Michx Sandy places on Brazos river, July. 145. Salvia azurea Lam. Dry prairies, Houston, May. 146 Hyptis radiata Willd. open pine woods, Houston. September.

11)

148. Dracocephalum virginianum Lin. Dry sandy places, near Houston, Septemb. 149. Trichostemma dichotoma {Trichostema dichotomum} Lin. Open woods near Houston, Septemb. 152. Monarda punctata Lin. Dry prairies, Houston, July. 156 Zapania nodiflora Lam., var. cuneifolia. In the quick sand of the downs Galveston island, April. 158 Ruellia ciliosa Pursh Open woods near Houston, June 159. Justicia humilis Michx. In clear running water, Houston, June 160 Dicliptera brachiata Spreng. shady, moist woods near Houston Aug. & Sept. _________________[Asa Gray's note:] Arrived 22d April

My dear Doctor 10 or 12 days ago I received your letter of March 13th; I finished the examination of the Texas plants and copied it for you, when I received a letter from Texas. Lindheimer has been collecting since January between the Brazos & Colorado. Prunus glandulosa, Draba cuneifolia, several Astragalus etc. etc; and will send probably 2500 specimens here in May. This coincides well with your wish to postpone the first publication till we can distribute more at a time. Your proposition to print only labels with numbers I like well, it is so much quicker done and is cheaper; but then it will be necessary either to lay only one plant in a sheet of paper, or to stick the labels on the plant with a little paste, this last I would prefer. — Now something else. Shall we leave the numbers as we have them now, and continue with 215 etc with the spring collection; or shall we wait till that is here, and insert the plants of this next collection in their proper places? In the last case the numbers will have to be altered, and I have to wait with the printing of labels and the distributing of those now in my hands, a thing which I should like to begin with, and be done with, so that I shall not be troubled with it at a season when my time will be much better employed. — If you consent to this I shall begin as soon as I have your answer, and you might also have the manuscript as full comprising the collection report of the collection of 1843 printed for Sillimans July Nro. the spring collection 1844 will then come in the October Nro. and both collections will be distributed about August or September. — —— I was glad to receive Choisy's Cuscutaceae and also two nros of Journal of Botany; the other things are in New York or on this way hither. ——

I was somewhat disappointed in Choisy's work; the drawings are not so accurate as I had expected them — you can see that the draftsman did not understand the essential points. — then the descriptions appear to me not quite characteristic enough; — then amongst the european species at least, he

(13 C. americana I have not yet examined, I have 2 or 3 specimens from different Islands now, and am anxious to compare them. I do not see how fig 2 and 3 of C. americana can belong together, to the same species, if drawn correctly. —

Braun has sent me a number of Cuscuta specimens; and a week ago I also got small samples of 14 specimens of Cuscuta in th {Academy} of Philadelphia! — I was glad to find some of my species amongst them; for example C. coryli, named by Nuttall — and a few which are new to me; some also named by Nuttall, but without locality. I have not yet examined them closely, but I shall do so now, as I am done with Lindheimers plants. —

C. parviflora Nutt mss. = C. coryli E. C. imbricuta Nutt mss = C. compacta Juss C. globularis Nutt mss = C. pentagona E Cusc. campanulata Nutt mss. } not yet examined.) C. "sanamosa" Nutt mss }

Now I believe I have given you an hour's or two labour to study my long letter and you will be glad to see me put a stop to letter writing for the present. — Answer soon if you have leisure

Yours Truly George Engelmann

I learn that Endlicher has adopted Klotzsch's Engelmannia and changed yours in Angelandra — is yours not prior to the other?

[Asa Gray's note:} Arrvd, Oct. 17th St Louis Octob 5th 1844

My dear Doctor

After a very animated corresponding of last winter we have had nothing to communicate; so it appears. With me it was really so; the early part of summer I was busy in arranging and distributing Lindheimers plants; and since July I am so constantly engaged in the practice of my profession that I have not done any thing in botany. What do you say: I have not observed, not collected — yes not even seen a single specimen if Cuscuta! — The only plants which I collected on a medical visit in the country were a few dried up and incomplete specimens of my new Acalypha monococca, which I believe I have mentioned last fall. I was pleased to find it on a very distant place from the first, but similar location: the brick of the lime= stone precipices on the river bank, with Aster {oblongifolius} & Solidago drummondii — on the same locality this fall for the first time Allionia (nyctaginaceae?) — The specimens of Acalypha were incomplete, the drought for two months with bare rocks hardly allowing it to live; still it proved always monocarpellary and distinct from the scanty specimens of {Acalypha virginica}, growing on the same place. — I hope the flood has brought us upper country plants — but have not seen any yet. —

I have had several letters from Dr. Torrey; and a fragment of his Cuscuta umbellata (Rocky Mts) distinct from any I have seen The fragment was very good, but no fruit — The gentlemen of the

Academy in Philadelpha have been very liberal, and supplied me with full fragments of {Cuscuta} — amongst them a number of foreign of much interest — but nothing new n. [arrived?] except Nuttall's C. acumunata — C. californica Choisy. — incomplete but a very distinct species from Europe I have had interesting specimens, especially some from Mr. {Carl F.} Ledebour from Asia — — I am guilty of gross neglect in not having acknow= ledged the presents of Mr. Hooker. I intend to answer him by giving him a full description of all my new Cuscutas, but was prevented by too much professional business; will you tell him that? I will do it in early winter. — You advise to send him a collection of Lindh. gratis — he is already a subscriber but I will make his collection doubly full, and add many plants, extra.

But now for the principal thing. About two weeks ago I received 2 boxes for Lindheimer with well preserved plants from the country between the Colorado and Brazos. One had been on the way since 1 July the other only since 5th August — but both in good order — a number of fine plants, but not a great many for our collection — only about 80 more numbers. — It took me a week stolen leasure hours to select put them up in fresh and more paper, and only now I have arranged them a little. — I did not intend not to write, untill I could notify you of the sending of your specimens; but I must not wait longer; perhaps in another week I will be able to send them. We have now a connection with Adams & Co. Express line — and you can always I hope send small packages safely expeditiously and without too much cost in this way. I shall do it as soon as possible, but the Ohio is now impracticable

and I really don't know whether they will come now expeditiously perhaps by the lakes & Buffalo to Boston [?] — which I should wish the more, as I shall also send you seeds and a bulbs, another too, species of Cooperia; one sent a year ago, it vegetates well here, but did not flower; another larger one sent now; I put some in a flowerpot; and have already had a flower! It appears different species: larger flower, larger bulb, broader flat leaves; the other has canaliculate, half terete leaves. — Among the seeds is the beautiful or rather singular G. drummondii.

The labels are printed with numbers only as you suggested, but large are decent enough, to be filled up by the [?] of the sets. — I shall send you a set of labels, which you may put to your specimens. —

The new collection contains a number of plants, already in the old ones, e.g. my Monarda? penicillata. Gaura sinuata and others; — they will be distributed again but not counted nor changed; they are mostly better specimens than the first. — The beauty of this collection is Lisianthius glaucifolius ? and a scarlet Penstemon with blue leaves. —

I forgot to tell you that we have raised my {Heliotropium} minutiflorum, also Brazoria annua (which is also plenty in the new collection) a plant very near Scutellaria, with closed fruit — calyx; — also Helianthus cucumerifolius and H. vernalis, which name ought to be changed if not yet printed : it might be called H. praecox both are still in flower before my window, and I have raised seed enough — both are very distinct in leaves, involucro, florsculi, and seed:

More in my next letter — you see that this is written in great haste — and you must excuse the disorder in it. — Raised also, and in flower now in the second year Malvaviscus drummondii — fine, but too delicate for our climate; — lost Gaura lindheimeri; — raised Phyllanthus polygonoides, and a new? Euphorbia. — — I have received DeCandolle vol. 8th. Have you printed any thing? — The interior of Texas is very dangerous ground now; and was so all summer — but L. {Lindheimer} was was going with a party of hunters for work. — Ver cordially yours G. Engelmann

I had letters from Geyer from Northern Oregon from April — nothing satisfactory — He will take his collections to England. — Fremont was here, collections not seen, probably spoiled? — He saw Lüders, who lost every thing in the Columbia river, last November.

[postmark] 28 St. LOUIS OCT 6 Mo. Prof. Asa Gray Cambridge Mass

Can you tell me any thing about Mr Oakes. I must have offended him; but do not know how. He sent my plants 18 months ago, and requested exchange, somewhat later, about 12 months ago. I sent him a return, but could not then make up a very large package, promising more; 9 months ago I sent him at his request (in his first letter) a long and elaborate article on climate, its influence on flowering etc. — But I have never heard any thing from him since him since his first letter — write soon G.E.

St Louis Dec 6th 1844

Dear Doctor

In due time I received your last letter, which I ought to have answered sooner. — I hope Lindheimers plants together with seeds for yourself and for Hooker and with bulbs of two species of Cooperia have safely arrived by this time. I have sent them away about 3 weeks ago, and you ought to have received them by [Pomeroy?] or Adams' Express. — I have received two letters from Lindheimer since, and expect a rich collection every day — some 4 or 5 species of live Cactus's amongst them —he is going farther west, and will I hope for more next year. — I believe I have written you that I had a letter from Geyer from Oregon; he will take his plants directly to England (and not pay his debts here in St Louis, I expect!). Fremont has seen Lüders on the Columbia, who had lost every thing he had in the river. Fremont himself writes me that most of his plants were destroyed — It appeared somewhat singular to me, that during a stay of 8 or 10 days here in St Louis he would not allow me to open and dry his moulding packages. Did he distrust me? He appears to me rather selfish — I speak confidentially — and disinclined to let any body share in his

discoveries, anxious to reap all the honour, as well as undertake all the labour himself. — He objected to take any botanist or geologist along with him, though the expense would hardly have been increased and the discoveries certainly greatly augmented, as he himself can not claim any knowledge of either branch, nor of zoology. — This however is a private remark — I hope when Government does any thing to explore Oregon, some competent man will be sent along, and I must confess I should like much to be of the party. — —

I expect a new collection of Lindheimer every day — and shall send you specimens immediately. We must then work it out without waiting any longer. I shall go directly at it and send you my notes — but you must then not wait defer it any longer. I owe it to Lindheimer and owe it to the subcribers to distribute the plants then without any further delay.

A Scotch Gardner, Gordon, who had been 1843 with Sir Wm Stuart to the mountains, has returned from England and is on his way to "the mountains of Texas" as he wrote me a short time ago. — A competitor of Lindheimer?

I received the later numbers of Hookers Journal, and a letter from him dated Nov. 4th where he asks about the collections and so on, I am ashamed that I have not written to him sooner. —

A few days ago I received a Cuscuta collected lately in Abyssinia by Schimper's, under the name of C. brevistylis {brevistyla} — but it must be C. arabica. Choisy's description is miserable. — One, but a complete, flower of C. californica, collected

by Nuttall, was received for Philadelphia. — I have examined a few days ago. A most remarkable species. Nuttalls manuscript name C. acuminata ought to be retained. So it would in name as it does in fact resemble my C. mucronata. — In the Philadelphia Collection are several from Europe, (probably the south) and 1 from the Azores, which belong to new or illy described and known species, but my material is too scanty to make out. —

I am sorry that I can not make a drawing for you from a living plant — will one after a dry specimen do?

Choisy's figure of C. gronovii is like most of his figures very stiff and unnatural; the ovary, fig. 8 is wrong and quite different: fig. 3 is pretty good, but still worse is IV, C. america; 2 pretty good but 8 again bad, and 3 is no flower, but ripening capsule with the integuments. —

Among Lindheimers plants you find a duplicate specimen of a new Asclepias (Otaria) lindheimeri not described by Decaisne in DC Prod. The duplicate please to send to Dr Torrey, as he now takes especial interest in Asclepiadeae. — — Please send it to him.

Is DeCandolle vol IX published? Of the Brazorias I have a few seeds, which I will send — It is abundantly in the second collection, as also another to me new genus of Labiatae.

Very truly yours G Englemann

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