Engelmann, George Oct. 13, 1841 [1] (seq. 16)

St Louis Octob 13th 1841

My dear Doctor,

I have written you about two weeks ago a long epistle
with drawings etc — I have since finished my paper on Cuscuta, the
season being closed, and do not wait for your answer, as
I have an excellent opportunity to send it to you, by Mr
Nicollet, who has been here on a flying visit. You would
oblige me if you woud look through it and send it with
perhaps with a few annotations and a recommendation from you to Prof Silliman.
Could I get a number of extra copies, you will be kind
enough to take care of them. The paper must however not
be printed if Silliman is not willing to engrave the plates also.
I leave all that to you.

In my last letter I forgot to mention a Pyrethrum, which we
find here; I have given a full description in my letter in the
package of plants, but as that package, which also contained specimens
is probably lost, I repeat it here, in case it should be new to you,
and add a small branch, which you will find between the papers.

Pyrethrum defloratum or, as I can not see the difference from
Chrysanthemum, it may better be called Chrysanthemum defloratum
foliis bipinnatifides, pinnulis segmantis linearibus numervatis glabis;
caule a basi racemoso; ramina unifloris, capitalis ovatis,
in volucro haemisphaerio, imbricato, foliolis ovatis oblusis margin
membranaries; fl. radii distilatis; acheniis margin
brevissimi coronatis; receptacule mudo, cylindro s. cornio.

Common near St. Louis in wastes, barrens. fl. in Mai
no smell, 6-8 inches high, much branched, always
without radial flowers.

I believe that all the many different forms of Physalis, which
I have found here and south must be reduced to 3 species
1. annual, 2. perennial with broad, generally cordate, light green
leaves, 3. perennial with narrow, generally more or less lanceolate,
dark green opaque leaves. — Size of flower, of peduncle and even
shape of leaves, and pubescence very variable. — Other Solanaceae
form hybrids, may it not be the case here too?