Asa Gray Correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium

Hooker asks for Geyer's Missouri plants. Could not Wiley & Putman send half-dozen sets to their agents in London for sale? and then tell Hooker of it?

[Asa Gray's note] Write W&P

[stamp mark:] ST LOUIS 25 DEC 7 MO.

Prof A Gray Cambridge near Boston, Mass

Among Lindheimers plants, received in a letter is Polygonacae 3 large external, 3 small internal sepals, woody at base — 9 stamina — 3 stigmas — New genus? Wooly leaves, near Eriogonum & Rumex! or Rheusm? also a dioicous Croton

[Asa Gray's note:] Arrvd Feb 3d St Louis, Jan 11th 1845

My dear doctor

A few days ago I got Linheimers last box! I was delighted to find seven live Cactus in it, but some appear to have suffered from moisture, as also the plants, about a thousand specimens — much less than I expected. I have worked very hard to get plants and seeds dry and select your part of both and Hooker's part of the seeds before Mr. Kimm started for New York; he left here on the 7th. Cactus he could not take with him, as too bulky, besides I was afraid of the frost. I have also several bulbs, 2 ? Cooperias ? and one white and one reddish brown Amaryllis ? — albo a bulb of Asclepias lindheimeri — of all of which and the Cactus I shall send you a part as soon as I think it advisable or [?] of frost. —

I am astonished not too hear from you about the arrival of the plants and seeds, for you and Hooker, sent by me early in November in a box per Adams' (I believe) Express. —

The numbers in both collections have to be altered, but I could not yet arrange them; I will let you know soon, as I have also to write you about my examination of the plants. — But pray go at it now your self also; we must not wait any longer; for Lindheimer must have money; he has already refused offers, to sell his collection to others, but he will be obliged to do it, if we do not hasten the distribution of his plants. Cant we publish the list in Silliman's April Nro?

I will pack the sets as soon as I have examined them, and send them off without waiting for the published list, but we must not lark behind with that! — Lindheimer writes that it shall not be his fault if the nomenclature of Texan plants gets mixed up and entangled. He will send nothing elsewhere but here, but we must not let him lack the necessary means; I have therefore sent him 200 dollars on his collection; he wrote from the Colorado, Nov. 25th and is now 300-400 miles west in the new German settlement of San Saba "where the plants, I hope have no latin names," he says. — —

Cactaceae texanae 1. Mammillaria simplex?? but oespitosa! with small red berries; leaves? at the point with starlike spines, and a fine tomentum. 2. Mammillaria vivipara fruit yellowish green, ovul central (in your flora you say filiform for ficiform — but is [?] ficiform?; leaves? with the groove described by Nuttall, but terminates by radiated spines, with a very strong erect central one; no tomentum among the spines. Nuttall says: barbate, but does not mention spines 3. Echinocactus ? large, globose, 8-10 inches diameter, simple, 21 ribs, with radiated (6-8) spines, and a nearly central one, annulated, curved backward 1 1/2-2 inches long; a tomentum at the base of the spines, and also in the centre of the plant, some of the spines covered with Lichen! perhaps like your E. viridescens? 4. Echinocactus ? tenuispinus ? 2 inches diameter, simple; ribs oblique, 13-15 — spines radiated, very long, setiform flexible refl, longer towards the top 5. Melocactus ? [cespitosa?] or simple, oval, 1-1 1/2 inch diameter, about 15 straight ribs; spines radiated short and thin, forming pretty little stars, with an oblong or lanceolate centre [drawing] — a most beautiful species. 6. Opuntia vulgaris ? few spines; — NB. I can not distinguish ferox and vulgaris; some have paler, some darker yellow flowers, some more, some less spines. Our cousin Missouri plant has strong spines, but a fruit inermis; and the whole plant is depressed. One with a dry fruit I have not yet seen. 7. Opuntia carpo olados as I call it: evidently near O. fragilis Nutt. 3-5 feet high, with cylindrical, woody

and very hard stem, of gray colour. — You get a specimen by Mr. Kimm; branches angular, somewhat cylindrical, not flattened, fragile — fruit not at top but on the side of the articulatis; articulations short or longer; fruit corall red; juicy, not dry; with small spines, and frequently bearing branches. The fruit contains from one to 3 or 4 compressed, somewhat spirally marked seeds; I hope you can propagate the plant from your specimen, by planting a few articulators or seeds. — I have seen specimens where the fruit of last year was perfectly dried up and the shoots coming out of (or rather the fleshy external part) grown and bearing fruit themselves.

— Among the seeds you find Algarobia glandulosa. The fruit appears to me remarkable, unique nearly, but near Detarium Decandolle the seed appears to be enclosed in a testa which is found by the inner memb epidermis of the legume, not in the originally in the parenchyma of the legume, not in the cavity of the legume as in Gleditschia. Examination of the unique fruit would show, whether I am right. What do you think of my explanation; I can not think of an other one! There are evidently two coverings of the seed — as in almonds! — It appears not to have been noticed before in Algarobia.

I find a few specimens of a new Polygonum, near [Scand?] [loss] which may be called cristatum, from the wings of the fruit.

A beautiful polygonaceous plant, of which I have written you; a new genus, near Eriogonum, also with a involucro, but with flowers like Rheum maybe called Eriorheon? [Asa Gray's note:] now [?] from Eriogonum!

A dioicous Croton, a perennial Boerhavia perhaps decumbens. Isopappus hookerianus Aster scoparius, but only in few specimens. 2 new ? Helianthus, one near argophyllus, the other near laetiflorus ? etc.

NB. As Lindheimer has to exist from his botanical collections, I think your botanical garde could allow him an appropriation for the seeds and

bulbs and Cactus's which I send in his name. His zeal would be instigated, when he sees that he can earn with his collections so much that he can extend his investigations further in to the interior. I am afraid his last two years work will bring him hardly more than 300 dollars. However I leave that to you. Write soon about the arrival of the two packages; indeed about the first one I expect your letter dayly.

Very truly yours G. Engelmann

[30?] [Asa Gray's note:] Benthan has been publishing some new Euphorbias from Texas — in Voyage Sulphur

[postmark] St. LOUIS JAN 12 Mo.

Prof Asa Gray Cambridge Mass.

I have requested Kimm to deliver the packages to Wiley & Putnam in {New} York for you. I have written W&P. to send 6-8 sets of Geyer's plants to England, they do not appear to sell any!

Additions to my notes to Lindheimer's Collections of 1843. No. 17 Hypericum gymnanthum. I have compared it again with large, not very filiose specimens of H. mutilum of Texas, sent 1844, but some of the characters given appear to distinguish it, especially the smaller, yellow, not brownish, seeds. — No. 60 Amongst the Gaurae I believe I have mentioned a probably new species with purple flowers; I find it now to be Gaura drummondii with bracts not quite decidnous; the proportion of Calyx segments and tube and even of tube and of ovary appear to be rather variable in this species. See below. No. 97. Helianthus praecox (a better name than vernalis) You will find a note below. 125 Cuscuta cuspidata ought to be describes as follows: Caule capillaceous, ramosissimo, floribus pedanculatus in cymes laxiores bracteosas dispositis; 5-fidis; tubo corollae subcylindrico (s. fauce dilatata infundibuliformii) sepala usque ad basin libera ovata, concava carinata, exteriora cuspidata, crenulata, et lacinias limbi ovatas s. lanceolatas, acutius oulas, uni nervias, erectas s. patentes superante; staminibus limbo brevioribus; squamis ovatis, fimbriatis, tubum subaequantibus; stylis filiformibus, ovario minuta globoso pluries longioribus; capsula globosa, corolla maroescente oblecta. α. pratensis floribus minoribus, calyce bracteris paceois involucrato, tubo corollae. subcylindrico, calycis et corollae segmentalis paulo longiore; staminibus limbe laciniis ovatis acutiusculis duplo brevioribus; stylis ovarium parvum duplo superantibus. β. grandiflora humida floribus majoribus, calyco bracteris pluribus involucrato, floribus tubo corollae infundibuliformi, calycis et corollae segmenta duplo superanti, staminibus laciniis limbi lanceolatis acutis paulo brevioribus; stylis ovarium minutatum quater superantibus.

Insert into the descriptio uberior what follows: like and involucorum, equal in shape but smaller than the calyx sepals. — Sepals some what lacerate or irregularly crenulate. — Carinae of the sepals and nerves of the lobes of the corolla much less distinct in the second variety. the Lobes are widened at base, especially in var. α. and overlap considerably. Var. β. has longer thinner flowers of paler colour and lanceolate acute lobes of corolla. α. on dry prairies west of the Brazos, on Tephrosia, Bradburia, Ambrosia, Astemisiaefolia Liatris, etc.; coll. June 1843. β. On the bottom lands of the Colorado, on Iva ciliata, Ambrosia trifida etc. coll. August 1844. No. 276 of our Collect. 133. Heliotropium minutiflorum. I had it cultivated last summer, and observed it living; it formed a large bush; leaves not without veins, but with simply feather [vessles?] [drawing] corolla tubo intus et extus luteolo, limbo albo; laciniis lineari lanceolatus acutis; tubo infra faucem pilis olauso; antheris infra medium tubi sessilibus. 177. Phyllanthus polygonoides polygamous! some plants dioicous, entirely male or female, others monoicous; i.e. some male plants have a few female flowers. — I have cultivated it; it is perennial, though flowerint the first year; the cultiv. plants were all dioicous. __________________ Lindheimer's Collection of 1844 has been made between the Brazos near San Fellipe and the Colorado river, in the neighborhood of Cat spring, of the Millcreek, and the Post office and settlement of industry, and from there westwardly towards the Colorado, and along its bottom lands. The prairies are partly of a light and even sterile sandy soil, partly in the lower parts, of a stiff clayey soil. the bottomlands are formed of a stiff black soil; near industry and on the Colorado rocks of a secondary sandstone (probably as subcretaceous formation) appear, on which several species of Cactus are found. In the prairies ant hills are not uncommon, and on old and deserted ones a rich harvest of peculiar plants may be made. —

2. These few notes are all I can gather for the present from Lindheimer's letters and labels, but I will induce him to make fuller observations of this kind as of much interest for botanical geography. — For a few more notes see Algarobia glandulosa below.

List of plants contained again in Lindheimer's Collection of 1844 and allready distributed amongst the plants of 1843. 7.b. Cocculus carolinus D.C. fruiting specimens, collected on the Colorado river in October. The female plants have apparently more frequently hastately 3-lobed leaves, than the male plants. 8. Streptanthus hyacinthoides Hook. Prairies between Brazos & Colorado rivers, April and May. — Flowers nodding, siliques erect; our specimens mostly simple, with linear leaves; some larger ones are branching with linear-lanceolate leaves. 11. Polygala leptocaulis Torr & Gr. along rivulets, west of the Brazos, in May. 18. Paronychia drummondii-bottom-woods and sparsely in the low prairies Torr & Gr. Sandy prairies west of the Brazos, in patches together May. — The specimens differ from those in collection of 1843 by being young plants, with good leaves, just beginning to flower. 24. Sida lindheimerii Dry prairies west of the Brazos, June to August. Corolla yellow, 12 to 16 lines in diameter. I have seen forms of Sida elliottii T & Gr. which somewhat resemble our plant, as the peduncles are sometimes elongated. though they never reach the length of the leaf; the flowers are of the same size, but the leaves are narrower, smooth above, the carpells only about 9 in number, nearly orbicular and only slightly bimucronate. 29. Rhynchosia minima DC naked clayey soil between the Brazos & Colorado. Septmeber. 39. Dalea aurea Nutt Dry prairies west of the Brazos in May & June 40. Petalostemon obovatus Torr & Gr. Perennial. Dry prairies west of San Felipe in July. 49. Acacia hirta Nutt. ripe legumes. 51 Vachellia farnesia W. & A. Margin of the Brazos-bottom-woods and sparsely in the low prairies west ward, undoubtedly indigenous. 55. Oenothera speciosa Nutt Prairies west of san Felipe, in heavy soil; fl in March & April. 60. Gaura sinuata Nutt. roadsides and naked declivities west of the Brazos, April & May. 80 Gutierrezia texana Torr & Gr. Dry prairies between the Brazos & Colorado. Sept. & Octob. 83. Solidago leptocephala Torr & Gr. Wet places in the prairies west of the Brazos. Sept. 94. Echinacea angustifolia D.C. In clayey prairies west of San Felipe, April & May. 96 Helianthus cucumerifolius Torr & Gr. Sandy soil west of the Brazos, Aug. & Septemb. We have had occasion to observe this and the nearly related H. praecox, No. 97. and find them very distinct. Besides the characters enumerated before we find the leaves of H. cucumerifolius always cordate at base and deeply coarsely serrate, of a deep green colour; the involucral scales elongated, with subulate tips, at first erect and not covering the disc before the opening of the flowers, afterwards at least partly reflexed; coroll of disc flowers with a very short tube and long and wide neck, disc especially after flowering, hemispherical. — The leaves of H. praecox are mostly abruptly attenuate into the petiole, more or less, sometimes indistinctly in other specimens deeper toothed, but never serrate, of a pale, somewhat cinereous hue; involucro coroll of disc flowers with a long thin tube and short neck; therefore the disc much smaller than in the other species, and after flowering nearly flat; Achenia considerably smaller. — It flowered in our nothern climate together with the its relative from June to October; in its native place (Galveston island) Mr Lindheimer's found it in flower in April; it is probably a biennial plant there germinating in the latter part of the summer, and coming to perfection early in the following spring.

3) 104. Gaillardia amblyodon Gay in light sandy soil west of the Brazos; May to July. rays bright red, brownish purple at base. 107. Hymenopappus artemisiae folius DC Sandy soil, principally in open bushes near the Millcreek, 16 miles west of San Felipe. In flower from March to September. — Lowest leaves entire (in shady places and in later specimens) or lyrate, or usually pinnatifid, with entire or even with incisely toothed lobes. 110. Marshallia caespitosa Nutt Growing sparsely on dry prairies near the millcreek April. — Stems 12 to 15 inches high; lowest leaves spathulate, obtuse 3-nerved; chaff scales of pappus large, broadly ovate acuminate; but otherwise not differing from the common form as described by Torrey & Gray. 137. Herpestis cuneifolia Pursh Margin of rivulates and ponds, west of San Felipe, June. 138. Buchnera americana L. β parviflora, Open prairies west of the Brazos, April to July. 145 Salvia azurea Lam. Prairies west of the Brazos, May. 153 Monarda ? penicillata covers large spots patches of dry prairie west of the Brazos. May to August. It appears to take in the inland regions of Texas the same place as "the somewhat similar M. punctata in the lower litoral districts; its pungent taste is similar to the latter one, but not so strong" Lindh. — 161. Utricularia subulata Lin Wet meadows near San Felipe, April & May. 169. Stillingia silvatica {sylvatica} L. Prairies west of the Brazos, May. 174 Euphorbia bicolor 175 Tragia urens L. on the abrupt banks of rivulets near the millcreek. May to July. "not stinging!" Lindh. 184. Commelina angustifolia Mich Open grounds, cultivated fields. May to July. 189. Moraea — — in wet prairies sparsely, but rather common between the Brazos & Colorado; April to August. 198. Phalangium angustum probably only a variety of Ph. exculentum. Dry prairies west of the Brazos, April. ———————————— Enumeration of Mr Lindheimers Collection of 1844. 215. Brasenia peltata Pursh in clear rivulets in the prairies between the Brazos & Colorado; July. 216. Draba cuneifolia Nutt Dry grassy places near Catspring, west of the Brazos, in March. — We find amongst our specimens some with nearly, and others with entirely smooth glabrous silicles. This would indicate that Draba micrantha Nutt which differs from D. caroliniana Walt chiefly in the pubescence of the fruit, is only a variety of this latter one 216. Vesicaria auriculata n.sp. annua, caulibus pluribus, decumbentibus, canescenti-hirsutis, foliis sparsim pilosis, inferioribus lyrato-pinnatifidus, s. sinucato-dentatis, basi attenuatis, superioribus sinuato ovato-lanceolatis, basi cordato-auriculata sessilibus s. semi amplexicaulibus, subdentatis s. integrsi; petalis obovato-spathulatis sepala pilosa colorata sub duplo superant-ibus; filamentis e basi latissima abrupte subulatis; antheris linearibus, ovarii loculis 3-4 ovulatis; stylo cum stigmate globosa siliculis vix stipitatis globosis glabirs breviore, semnibus sub-6, marginatis

4) Dry prairies near San Felipe on the Brazos; Febr. & March. It is very possible that this may be one of the already described species, but it appears to me to differ from all as they are described in Torr & Gr. Flora. I could compare it only with {Vesicaria} grandiflora. This has a stallate pubescens; greenish, canescent [drawing] sepals, obcordate petals, sagittate anthers; V. repanda has subulate filaments; V. angustifolia has a stellate pubescence, and leaves attenuated at base; V. nutallii has leaves narrowed at base, and a different silicle, V. gracilis has subulate filaments, leaves narrowed at base, seeds not margined and V. shortii has very short styles.

From the examnation of 2 specimens of V. grandiflora collected also west of the Brazos, I am enabled to add the following characters: sepals greenish stellately canescent, like the whole plant; anthers sagittate with spreading lobes; cauline leaves sessile, cordate and somewhat dilated at base. 218. Nasturtium tanacetifolium Hook & Arn. Sandy open places in the millcreek bottom. Febr and March. — Siliques incurved in some specimens nearly erect in others patulous! In specimens collected in a sterile prairie we find the leaves less divided. 219. Sisymbrium canescens Nutt var. α. Sterile sandy places in prairies west of the Brazos; a very canescent form. 220. Polygala alba (P. beyrichii Torr & Gr. Prairies west of the Brazos; lower leaves frequently obovate spathulate. 221. Hypericum maculatum Walt. Open woods and margin of woods from Galveston to the Colorado; May. 222. Paronychia dichotoma Nutt On Sandstone rocks near Industry; Septemb & Octobr 223. Arenaria pitcheri Nutt. Prairies west of the Brazos; March. Petals twice the length of the calyx emarginate. 224 Ptelea trifoliata L. β mollis T & Gr. Along water courses west of the Brazos, April. Also near Houston. 225. Aesculus pavia L. β discolor Torr & Gr. Thickets along the banks of Millcreek, west, of the Brazos; March. 226 Sapindus marginatus W. {Willd.} Fertile woods near streams, west of the Brazos, fruit ripe in August. Popularly called "Wild Chinatree"; it grows about one foot in diameter. 227. Rhamnus caroliniana Walt. Small trees forming thickets on wet places in the Prairie west of San Felipe, fl. in May. — Var. β parvifolia leaves only 2 to 3 inches long, with 7 to 9 pairs of lateral veins, pubescent on the ribs below; leaves and flowers crowded. 228. Rhamnus lanceolatus Pursh in thickets along the Millcreek; fl. in March. 229. Tephrosia onobrychoides Nutt San Bernadio's Prairie, west of San Felipe, in May. — Stem assurgent one to two feet high; pubescence rusty, short, appraised; calyx teeth short hispid, not villous, as in the variety sent from Houston, No. 32. 230. Astragalus caryocarpus Ker. Prairies west of San Felipe, April. 231. Lupinus subcarnosus Hook. Prairies west of the Brazos, April. — Branching from the base; from 5 to 15 inches high; flowers smaller, paler, inflorescence more silky or lanuginous than in the nearly related L. texensis Hook, of which we find a a few specimens mixed with those of L. subcarnosus. 232. Cassia chamaecrista L. } cinera Torr & Gr. Sandy places in the woods along the Colorado river Aug. Perhaps a distinct species, characterized not only by the characters noted by Torrey & Gray, Flor I, p. 396 but also by the stipitate gland on the petiole below the lowest pair of leaflets, the setaceous glands between the 4 or 6 lower pairs (wanting in C. chamaecrista) and by the indistinct (not very plain, as in C. ch.) veins of the acute (not obtuse)

5) leaflets. The five alternate anthers are shorter. 233. Algarobia glandulosa T & Gr. Sparsely or forming thickets in low prairies on the Colorado. fr. end of August. — This shrub or small tree, 10 feet high, stem 6 to 8 inches thick, called in Texas "Muskit-tree" is first found as a small low shrub in the San Bernardo prairie west of San Felipe, and becomes larger and more frequent westwardly. It characterizes a new vegetation; in the muskit-thickets on the Colorado a small Echinocactus (E. setispinus) is common; and on their boarders is found the singular Opuntia putescens (No. 244); and on naked places in the neighborhood, especially on deserted anthills a large Echinocactus (E. gyracanthus) often a foot in diameter, strikes the traveler with the impression of a tropical vegetation. F. Lindheimer.

The leaflets in our specimens of A. glandulosa are partly linear, 1 line wide, often oblong, 1 1/2 to 2 lines wide but also elliptical, obluse, half as wide as long; sometimes all these forms on the same specimen. This plant is very remarkable on account of the drupaceous structure of the fruit; the inner chartaceous or nearly bony part of the pericarp (or legume) separates from the pulpy parenchyma and encloses each seed separately, forming as many nuclei as there are seeds. This structure appears to occur amongst the Leguminosae only once more, in Detarium Juss from Africa, which however is oneseeded, and where the pericarp is said to be entirely fleshy. 234. Schrankia angustata Torr & Gr. Sandy prairies between the Brazos & Colorado, May to Aug. 235. Darlingtonia brachyloba DC. var. glandulosa T & Gr Wet prairies west of the Brazos, fr. in July. — We have also seen the slender variety var. illinoensis from the seacoast of Texas. 236. Prunus glandulosa Hook Low shrubs on sandy hills in the Prairies west of the Brazos. fl. in Febr. — "Fruit yellowish red as large as a middlesized cherry." Lindh. Therefore probably a Prunus. But on one of our specimens in a half grown fruit entirely juiceless and still covered with tomentum of the ovary. 237. Prunus gracilis n.sp. Ramis subinermibus; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, infra supraque acutis, grosse et irregularites serratis (serratun's plerumque patentibus) supra glabriusculis, sublus cum petiolis brevibus eglandulosis tonetoso pubescenitbus stipulis setaceis, glandulosis, petiolos aequantibus; umbellulis 2-3 floris; pedicellis calycibusque pubescentibus ; calycis laciniis ovatis, obtusiusculis, petalis orbiculatis, ovario glabro.

In open post oak woods (Quercus obtusiloba) west of the Brazos in small groups, fl. in March. — It is Prunus chicasa, var. normalis of Torr & Gr. but I take it to be a distinct species, characterized by the small (about 1 1/4 inch long), very pubescent leaves, with mostly spreading serratures; the very short (1 to 1 1/2 lines long) and not glandular petioles; the small flowers and pubescent (and not glandularly serrate acutish) lobes of the calyx. We find no notice of the fruit in Mr Lindheimer's labels, where it is called "Post oak-plum". On our specimens are a few fruits of the size of the fruit of Cerasus serotina, perhaps not full grown, though of a blackish colour. — The species appears intermediate between Prunus chicasa and P. glandulosa; it is as low a shrub as this one, with nearly as small leaves, but is is a plant with much slender branches and with elegantly shaped leaves. —

238 Oenothera serrulata Nutt Oe. spinulosa Torr & Gr. nearly smooth with large flowers, petals often 1 inch and even more in length; stems many from the same root mostly simple or branching at base. — Sandy dry or moist prairies west of the Brazos, May & June. 239. Gaura exaltata n.sp. caule erecto elato, paniculato-ramosissimo, adpresse pubescente, foliis lanceolatis s. linear--lanceolatis, supra infraque angustitatis,

6. sparsim repando-denticulatis, adpresse pubescentibus, floribus in spicis laxis ramosis sessilibus; bracteis linearibus deciduis; calycis segmentis tubum plerumque superantibus, ovario canescente multo longioribus; petalis spathulatis longe uniquiculatis calyce et staminibus brevioribus; nuce sessili, ovata, subacuta, 4 carinata, nervis 4 inconspicuis intermediis notata.

Prairies at the margin of woods between Brazos & Colorado, also west of Houston; fl. August & September. — 6 to 9 feet high, often exclusively covering large spaces of ground. Near Gaura biennis but taller, more branching, leaves narrower flowers much smaller, petals spathulate and fruit shorter and thicker. — 240 Gaura drummondii Torr & Gr. Naked soil, roadsides in prairies, ravines or abrupt steep banks of rivulets, west of the Brazos; May. — Stem and leaves canescently hairy; leaves in our specimens mostly undulate and sinuate-dentate; calyx-tube as long as the ovary segments mostly much longer; petals deep red in the dry specimens. The very peculiar shape of the fruit is well descrbed by Torrey & Gray in Flora. 241. Gaura parviflora Dougl On deserted anthills in the sandy prairies between Brazos & Colorado. July & August. — The ovaries as well as the fruits in all our specimens are not glabrous, but canescently pubescent, and the fruits acutish. 243 Jussiaea occidentalis Nutt along margins of rivulets, where they are not shaded between the Brazos & Colorado. July. — Petals obcordate. 242 Stenosiphon virgatus Spach "high prairies on the Colorado, often on rocky soil sparsely, 244. Opuntia frutescens n.sp. Caule erecto ramoso, teneti, ligneo, cenereo, duplicites aculeato; ramis junioribus articulatis, fragilibus, subcylindricis, angulatis, brevioribus, viridibus, flores in aculeoorum fasciculis lateralites s. sub apicem gerentibus; fructibus obovatis, carnosis (scarlatinis) fasciculis aculeorum piliformium obsitis; semina pauca (alba) compressa, reniformia includendibus, persistentibus, proliferis.

This remarkable Cactus was collected as stated above near the Muskit-thickets (No. 233) on the Colorado, in August; it acquires a hight of from 3 to 5 feet, has a branching ligneous stem, covered with a light gray bark and sometimes even with lichens. It bears bunches of small hairlike spines, with one larger one (4-6 lines long) which disappear on the oldest stems. The wood is close grained and very hard. The younger branch are green and angular and bear the last, short (about 1 inch long) articulations, which very easily break off; these bear when young, as the other Opuntia — short terete subulate leaves, and in the axillis of these one larger spine and above this a bunch of smaller ones. — Our specimens are not in flower, but are covered with the obovate umbulicate scarlet fruits, about 8 lines long, which are fleshy but not juicy and contain very few (2 to 5) white compressed seeds. — A most remarkable circumstance is that the fruits frequently bear one or more (even 4 or 5) new branches at the upper bunches of spines; they either fall off with these branches, or become persistent dry up and finally form part of the stem.

This species is apparently near Opuntia fragilis Nutt but is distinguished by the high ligneous stem, the mostly lateral position of the flowers and the fleshy, proliferous fruit.

Besides this Mr Lindheimer has sent us 7 other Cactaceae, most of them in living specimens.

7) Opuntia without fruit or flower, probably O. vulgaris Mill, several feet high with large obovate joints and few spines, from the Brazos. Opuntia, perhaps O. missouriensis DC low, with smaller orbicular joints, with numerous large straight brown spines and bunches of also brown prickles, which are larger than in the other species; flowers yellow, in May. On sterile prairies, 12 miles west of Houston. Mammillaria similis n.sp. caespitosa, axillis glabris, tuberculis ovatis apice spiniferis tomento circudatis; floribus sparsis, baccis globosis scarlatinis.

On sandstone rocks near Industry, west of the Brazos. — Evidentally very near M. simplex, but caespitose, forming tufts of 6 to 12 inches diameter; tubercules with about 12 white (not red) radiating spines, flowers not seen; berries scarlet of the size of a large pea, rather dry, with numerous black subglobose scrobiculate seeds with and elongated white hilum. Mammillaria subcata n.sp. caespitosa, tuberulis ovais erioribus sulco prolifero superne notatis, apice spiniferis, spinis rectis radiantibus, cinereis, in plantis senioribus spina centrali subrecurva majore; floribus centralibus, fasciculatis; fructibus oblongis, floris rudimentis coronatis, virescentibus, polyspermis.

With the foregoing; but a and similar to it, but a much larger plant! I would take it without hesitation for M. vivipara Haw it that was not described every where as having bearded tubercules! Ours are very spiny; in the young specimens we find 8 to 10 radiating horizontal about equal spines; in the older ones one becomes central, much stouter often 8 lines long, erect or rather curved somewhat backwards. Flowers not seen. Fruits sessile in a cluster in the centre of the plant, surrounded and half hidden by the innermost tubercule, enclosed at the base by a tomentum, about 10 to 12 lines long, oblong, juicy, greenish; full of black, smooth shining seeds, which are compressed on one side toward the hilum.

Echinocactus setispinus n.sp. subglobosus, apice retusus, costis plerumque 13 ac[loss] obliquis, aculeis (15-18) fasciculatis, tenuibus, flexuosis e flavicante fasc[loss] 10-12 inferioribus brevioribus radiantibus, 3 superioribus elongatis; 1-3 [loss]-libus longissimis, erectis; floribus minutis supra fascicularum fa acu[loss]m fasciculos ortis, basi tomento cinctis; sepalis in tubum concretis, spicibus liberis scariosis, late ovatis, acuminatis, margine fimbriatis; fructibus? seminibus ovatis, nigris opacis, minutum tuberculatis.

Common among the Muskit-trees on the Colorado River. — Near Echinocactus tenuispinus Link & Otto, from Brasilia, but distinguished by the somewhat oblique and acute, not straight, obtuse ribs, which show at their bases a transition to the tubercular structure of the Mammillariae; also by the very small flowers. Our specimens are about 2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inch high, have 13 (one of them 15) pretty sharp ribs, separated by deep grooves. The spines near the base are shorter, mostly broken off, towards the top they are longer, and flexible; those in the centre of the bunches are longest, (about 15 lines long). We find a few shrivelled up flowers and one incomplete fruit on our specimens. They do not orginate from the clusters of spines, but from an impression in the rib above them. The flowers are about 5 lines long, at base surrounded by a tomentum; the seeds are punciculate, black, not shining.

1) Continuation of Lindheimer's Collection 1844

245. Sedum sparsiflorum Nutt. Naked sandy spots in the San Berndards prairie between Brazos & Colorado, April & May. 246. Galium virgatum Nutt Prairies west of the Brazos, in patches. April. 247. Diodia tricocca Torr & Gr. caespitose in low fertile places in the prairie 16 miles west of San Felipe. June. — The plant is much and irregularly branched, depressed, resembling in habit Hedyotis boscii DC. All specimens examined by us are tricarpellary. 248. Coelostylis texana Torr & Gr. Shady woods along the Millcreek, west of San Felipe. July. 249. Aster drummondii Lindh. In shady moist woods and in thickets along water courses, from Houston to the Brazos to Colorado. — Sept & Octob. — We find the stems of some of our specimens more scabrous than pubescent, and also the leaves less velvety on the lower side, and sometimes nearly smooth on the upper. Involucral scales smooth with ciliate margins, especially the outter ones. Achenia more or less, sometimes only at the top hairy, smoother when ripe. Disc flowers turning red, as in Aster sagittifolius. — Specimens collected in July on the prairie, at the margin of woods are much more tomentose. 250 Chaetopappa asteroides DC Dry prairies west of the Brazos; April to July. 251 Bellis integrifolia Mich Light sandy soil in prairies west of the Brazos with Sedum sparsiflorum & Schrankia angustata : April & May. — The heads are only half as large as in the common forms of this plant, and the rays fewer, but we can not discover any other difference. 252. Solidago angustifolia Elliott Wet prairies and banks of rivulets west of the Brazos; October. — Not at all in brackish swamps and not even always on wet soil, for we have specimens collected on high and dry prairies between Houston and the Brazos, beginning to flower in June. — Inflorescence somewhat scabrous, leaves scabrous on the margin; scales of the involucre acutish, the exterior ones mucronulate, the innermost rather obtuse. Ray flowers in the Brazos specimens 5 to 8, disc flowers 7 to 13; in the Houston specimen ray flowers 6 to 10; disc flowers 10 to 13. Achenia puberulent. 253. Isopappus divaricatus Torr & Gr. Light sandy soil in prairies and open woods west of the Brazos. Aug. & Sept. 254 Isopappus hookerianus Torr & Gr. In patches on sandy prairies and on sandstone rocks on the Colorado. Septemb. — Our specimens are from 6 inches to 2 feet high, mostly branching from the base, but also simple. 255. Grindelia inuloides Willd. In patches in the prairies 30 miles west of San Felipe July & August. — Grows 5 to 6 feet high, branching only above. 256. Calymmandra candida Torr & Gr. Margins of woods and open woods west of the Brazos. April & May.

Note. In the pine woods near Houston Mr Lindheimer collected two or three specimens of new Pterocaulon, which we are sorry not to be able to communicate to the subscribers, but of which we will give at least a description. Pterocaulon leptostachyum, caule herbaceo ramoso, foliis inferioribus l lanceolatis, superioribus linearibus, omnibus undulato-denticulatis supra glabris, subtus albo tomentosis; fasciculis capitulorum sessilibus, in spicam elongatum interruptum congestis; involucri squamis exterioribus lanceolatis, acutis, brevibus, dorso tomentosis, interioribus linearibus elongatis, apice acuminato-setaceo glabriusculo.

Open pine woods near Houston, fl. in Sept. — Easily distinguished from the only other North American species, Pt. pycnostachyum, by the branching stem, linear leaves, interrupted spikes etc, but perhaps too near Pt. interruptum DC. from South America, but apparently distinguished by the narrow undulate-denticulate leaves, which in Pt. interruptum are described as