Harvard Botany Libraries

St Louis March 29th 1845

My dear Doctor

Here I sent you the best part of my annotations to Lindheimer's plants, and my labour is done so far; I shall now distribute the plants in sets and send them off; those for the North and east and for England I will send to New York, subject to your orders; however I will apprize you of all that, when they are actually ready to be sent. — Spring is now so far advanced that I believe I run no more risk today in sending the Cactus etc and I will pack and ship them today or to morrow; your specimen of Echinocactus gyracanthus is far gone, but I still send it; perhaps you may save it, but cutting it out, and grafting the healthy part on an other Cactus; but if not, you want it at least, to see and examine the plants. — The largest specimen I keep here; it is so far in a good condition. — Echinocactus setipinus is very much shrivelled, and can perhaps not be saved, but I send it on the same account. — You get also a few more seeds, which I have partly picked from among the plants; also a tuber of {Asclepias lindheimeri}. In your box will be included one for Hooker, with cactus, bulbs and seeds; charge him with his part of the expenses and forward it, if possible with the steamer of May 1st perhaps it would be well for you to open and examine his box. — I shall also put in your box some plants, but whether they will do well with the Cactus, I doubt; however as they are partly of importance for Lindheimer's Catalogue, I send them now. — A Vesicaria No 217 I included in this letter, and send better specimens in the box. — I give you now a good deal of trouble again but hope, that after the end of this month you shall have a little more leisure to finish this; — have it printed as soon as possible! — I expect, not to trouble you for a long time to come; but before next winter; in the mean time I long to examine plants again in their native places — and hope to be able to make some more

distant excursion this season. — When do you expect to continue the flora? — Any thing of the 9th vol of Decandolle?

Very truly yours George Engelmann

P.S. Wiley & Putnam write me, that they have sent no sets of Geyer's plants to England, having received no orders from there. — Still it would be well to do it; perhaps 4 will be proper. — When you write to them, please mention it; as Hooker has asked for them, and in London I have wrote him, that they would be sent to W. & P. in London.

Single 26 [faded post mark] St. LOUIS MAR 30 Mo.

Prof. Asa Gray Cambridge Mass

St Louis May 13th 1845 My dear Doctor,

After having inundated you with long and frequent letters, I intended to give you a respite of some months, and if possible, wait for the new postoffice law, but I have to write you again!

About 3 or 4 weeks ago I have sent you a box containing Cactus s and seeds for yourself and another smaller box with the similar contents for Sir {William} Hooker. I hope they are all safe in your hands, and you have sent of the latter. — I find that the Cactus grows easily; all mine are doing well; to make an experiment I took the other day a joint of the Opuntia fragilis? for the Herbarium and put it in the ground, and already it is growing! But let me report regularly: 1. Opuntia frutescens (or fragilis?) has nearly terete joints (angular only in shriveled or dry specimens; leaves on the young shoots terete, mucronate, 2 to 2 1/2 lines long, at first with loose woolly hairs afterwards with spines in the axills. 2. Opuntia vulgaris ? is an erect plant, grows several feet high; joints obovate, at base cuneate; leaves terete, subulate, mucronate, about 6 lines long; in the axills at first a brownish wool, then small prickles, and sometimes long spines; — I recollect to have seen an erect Opuntia near Natchitochez {Natchitoches}; the same? How it differs from our Missouri plant, I do not know well yet; ours is prostrate, the joints orbicular obovate, leaves about the same, but more spiny; specimen from Wisconsin, which are growing in a garden here are entirely similar but less spiny. — It appears to differ from the Texas plant only in the prostrate growth and the more orbicular joints. — Fruit dark brown red and edible. — {Opuntia} missouriensis I do not know; is it also prostrate? 3. {Opuntia} missouriensis ? probably rather O. vulgaris, but very spiny; I have a dry specimen; and can not say any thing more about it. 4. Mammillaria similis I have to endorse every thing said before by me; but except that the leaves do sometimes appear slightly sulcate; it is growing finely; cespitose; leaves (or tubercules spiny, young ones also with a white wool, spines pubescent! axilla smooth. 5. Mammillaria sulcata perhaps M. vivipara! but as I have never seen this plant nor a complete description I can not say any thing about it. — Leaves sulcate, young ones also woolly, but older ones only spiny, spines radiating and only in the fructiferous branches or truncs a curved central spine appears! Perhaps only flowering once! It appears as if those parts of a caespes, that have flowered, do not continue to vegetate, but the younger ones are doing well! Many of the leaves are bringing forth new sprouts at the furrow, below the top. 6. Echinocactus setipinus only one specimen is growing, and will probably bloom; all others and so probably all that I have sent away were too much dried up. It is no doubt an Echinocactus; the young bundles of spines come from a yellowish spot which is surrounded covered with a very short wool, which disappears afterwards. 7. Echinocactus ? gyracanthus; My specimen is growing beautifully, and will get at least 5 or six flowers. Is it perhaps a Melcocactus ? There is certainly no spadix, but the top of the plant, which is rather depressed is very woolly, and out of this wool in the axills of the young branches of spines of this years growth not from the clusters themselves! which I suspect is never the case; the flowers come

always from above or inside the clusters of spines which represent the top of the leaf; only in Opuntia they are themselves axillary productions) — The flower buds are yet short, but thick and will become large apparentlly. 8. Cereus caespitosus My specimen is growing finely, the centre or top becomes very white with wool; the spines are at first erect; gradually the areolae detach themselves and the spines become recurved. Flowers apparently larege; my specimen has a few buds, already more than half an inch long and thick and very woolly, but originating in the axils of the old leaves (clusters of spines, not of those of this years growth.—

If you like I will figure all those cactus for your journal, which will bloom, if they are new.

Do you want shoots of our common Opuntia, and of the Texan erect one? if so, I will send them next winter. But from you I want if possible small living specimens of the {Opuntia [missouriensis?]} and the [?] {Mammillaria} simplex, of M. vivipara if different from my plant, and O. fragilis, if different. — You would oblige me very much by procuring and sending them; I am quite interested in the cultivation of these interesting plants. I should like to get all the U St., Texasn & Oreg. & California. Have you seen Op. missouriensis cultivated? I should like to have them too. I have also requested that several travellers west to procure me any Cactus they can get. I have now finished the distribution of the Texas plants and shall send to morrow a box directed to you, containing 4 packages destined for Hooker, one small parcel also for him (your N. Carolina Cuscutae etc) one package for Mr. Green, and four more (just filling a vacant space in the box) No. 19.20.21.22. which I leave with you to dispose if any more subscribers should come forward, here or in England. —

As to the charges, you have either to divide them between the persons to whom the packages are directed, or to charge Lindheimer (me) with them, and pay yourself by part of Mr Green's remittance. — Do as you think proper.

My Asclepias {lindheimeri} and many of the Texan seeds are coming well; and I hope to see many of those rare or beautiful plants in flower; Senecio ampullaceus, Sida lindheimeri, Pentstemon {Pentstemon} [flammeus?] and others are coming. Malvaviscus has been already in bloom last fall, and is sprouting luxuriantly now. — — I must raise every thing in flower pots, if I had the smallest piece of garden at my disposal, I would cultivate our Asters, Helianthus etc.

I hope you have by this time the Catalogue and description in print, and can send copies of it along with the sets.

Please to send Hooker several spare copies, also to such other persons as you think proper.

Send 20 cpies to Prof. A. Braun, Carlsruhe, Germany (best by [sonu?] Bremen, Hamburg Antwerp or Rotterdam ship; the two first are the best.) I send to Braun 10 sets which have been ordered and 5 spare ones.

Please send also per mail one to Dr. S.B.. Mead, Augusta Hancock Co Illinois, on to Prof CW Short Louisville Ky and one to Wm S. Sullivant Esq. Columbus, Ohio.

Please to have also besides all these about 50 extra copies printed for me, and make payment for them from Mr. Greene's money. —

You say you will look through Mr G's package; please tell me all you have to remark a out the plants, the paper, the labels, the mode of packing, etc. I do every thing as I think best, but having no experience in these things, much may be altered advantageously. — How do Drummond's specimens compare with Lindheimer's? — Those of last year suffered much from moisture. Perhaps they ought also to be more pressed. But in travelling and in putting up plants in a cart it is not easy to obtain the neatness required by a closet botanist. The specimens are at least as complete as possible; — and I think the small ones as numerous as necessary. — However tell me all about it. —

Has Greene any Chariae for Braun? Braun writes me that he has got many Cascutae from different European Herbaria for me; which I expect in 4 or 6 weeks.

You ask me why Lindheimer has not done much more; He is rather slow, bedsides he has had misfortunres; and then travelling is and was for the last 3 or 4 years very unsafe in western Texas. He has made a start now under the protection of a large German colony; but I am afraid that the colony will be broken up by internal dissensions or exterbak difficulties; however

{John Charles,} Fremont has not been here yet; he is expected every day. Pity that he or Col. {John} Abert should be prevented (by some certainly not very noble reason) from sending some naturalist along with the expedition. However if {Charles A.} Geyer & {F.W.A.} Lüders do nothing (I have not heard any thing of them) We have now a young botanist from New York, Mr. [Halstedt?] going there, who is, if not experienced, at least full of zeal; he travels to Oregon & California with some other naturalists. — Besides these I have requested and instructed a young physician from here, Dr. Gildea, who is going to settle in California to collect plants, and he has promised to discover Gildea! —

But I have troubled you too long already. Please to send me one copy of the Catalogue etc by mail and the others by some other cheap opportunity; the first one as soon as possible. —

If I have nothing particular to communicate, you will not hear from me again before the first of July!! — A fine day will that be for all correspondents!

Yours very truly

G Engelmann

Is it possible to get a copy of your N.A. Gramineae? I have nothing about this family and can hardly help myself. Where can it be got?

Single 28 [faded postmark] [St. LOUIS] May 1 Mo.

Prof Asa Gray Cambridge Mass

St Louis June 9th 1845

My dear Doctor,

After your long silence I was much pleased ti receive your letter of May 17 and also learn the safe arrival of the Cactus! I hope soon to learn also the arrival of the box of plants, which I sent by New Orleans. — Those sets of Lindheimer destined for Short, Sullivant etc, are long th since in their hands; they wait for your catalogue.

I write you sooner than I intended principally because I see from your letter that there is a little misunderstanding in the numbers of the plants. The plants sent to you were numbered so: 3. Clematis (pitcheri) 4 ({Clematis} cylindrica 5, [Clematis} reticulata — afterwards in the printed labels I changed the numbers as I wrote you, 1.2.3. Ranunculi 4 Cl. cyl. and under 5 I put both Cl. retic & pitcheri, taking them for the same plant; so that some sets may contain one, some the other, and a few perhaps both — which, if still time, please to notice.

Is 9 actually {Cristatella} erosa? Your notice about Desmanthus & Acacia lutea I do not understand or can not read. Gaura lindheimeri will stand then, as it is distinct from the true tripetala; I have among 50 specimens never found one with 3 parted flowers; it grows only near Houston; on the Brazos & farther west {Lindheimer} has never found it.

Psoralea {lindheimeri} from Galveston appears to me quite distinct for P. {rhombifolia} which I have from the Brazos; I believe I have carefully noted the differences.

My Cactus's are all growing, 7 well define species, and most of them well distinguished from any which I find described; 3 have been in bloom, and Echinocactus setissimus will be in one or 2 weeks! But I found it impossible, as I had intended to draw and paint them; I had no leisure and then the tints were so delicate and beautifull, that I could never have done them justice.

1, Opuntia putescens may be identical with fragillis; my specimens are small and will not flower yet. — The diagnosis

must be corrected: articulis teretibus; they are angular only when withered! 2, I have growing, but not in flower; no remarks to make 3, only in the herbarium 4, Mammillaria similis caespitosa, axillis tuberculorum juniorum paulo tomentosis; tuberculis ovatis, supra levites sulcatis sulco venus basin subtomentoso, etc. — No indication of flowers yet. — Except in the fruit, very distinct from simplex; but perhpas not from Nuttall's simplex? 5. M. sulcata caespitosa, tuberalis, ovatis, sulco subinde versus apicem prolifero superne notatis, apice spiniferis, spinis rectis radiantibus cinersis, e tomento albido, deciduo; in plantis adultis (floriferis) spina centralis subrecurva majore auctis; floribus centralibus, fasciculatis, e tomento ortis, glaberrirmis; tubo brevi, sepalis lanceolatis, acuminatis, e viridi flavescentibus, margine integris; petalis longioribus lanceolatis aristatoacuminatis, versus apicem ciliato-denticulatis, sordide flavis, intus ad basin rubicundis; staminibus inclusis, filamentis rubellis; stylo supra stamium exserto, stigata flavo 7-10 partito; baccis oblongis, floris rudimentis coronatis, virescentibus.

Flowers open for 2 days only in sunshine, 20 to 25 lines long, and when fully open 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter; speals greenish entire, inner ones petaloid, a little denticulate; 20 to 25 in number; petals 30-36 dirty yellow with a {brownish} reddish base. — Forming with Nuttall's vivpara perhaps a peculiar section: fl. centralibus; distinct from M. vivpara by the spines, radiated on the sterile shoots and with a stouter central spur on the fertile ones; by the larger yellow flowers, entire sepals and denticulate petals. — I at first thought 6. Echinocatus setispinus the apparently the fertile shoots would bloom only once; but I see that in some now tuberules show themselves in the central cavity (left by the falling away of the fruit. 6. Echinocactus setispinus the bunches of spines of this years growth have in their axills, if I may say so, a yellowish tomentose spot which gradually elevates itself a a small smooth flowerbud with imbricated scaly sepals makes its appearance; single, and crowded as in the next 7. Echinocactus gyracanthus (we should name it perhaps Lindheimeri) - - - - spines exterioribus inaequalibus radiantibus subrectis etc ——— floribus in vertice centro depresso tomentoso, ex axillis fasciculorum aculeorum annu orum (of this years growth, or is that matter: "hodiernorum") pro venientibus, confertissimis, lanosum coalitis, lanceolatis, spinoso-aristatis, interioribus margine fimbriatis; petalis lineari-oblongis, apice bifidis, aristatis, margine albidis nitentibus, nervo medio violaceo in aristum violaceam desinente; staminibus numerossissimis aequalibus e toto tubo ortis, inclusis; filamentis, aurantiacis; stylo compresso supra stamina exserto; stigmate irregulariter 14 to 17 fido carneo.

Flowers about 20 to 24 lines long; 30 lines in diameter, in my specimen 13

in number, crowded in the woolly centre and in the axills of the bunches of spines of this years growth, frequently compressed and obstructed in their growth by some spines of last year; Calyx covered by a thick loose wooll; sepals 80 to 100; petals 40 to 50 of the most delicate tints, at base scarlet, verging to orange, from which a pale purple mid rib extends to an herbaceous bristle of the same colour, upper part of the petals of the most delicate pearly or satin like shining white, with feathery margins. — In flower full 3 days; open only in bright sunshine. 8 Cereus caespitosus ——— aculeis ——— ex arcola lanceolata albo tomentosa, demum glabrata radiatis, demum, recurvis ——— floribus ex axillis tuberculorum biemium (of las year's growth) lateralibus; ovario oblongo, tuberculis (sepalis exterioribus) apice e lana villosa spinigeris stipato; sepalis plurinus, apice spinis setiformibus villoque coronatis, virescentibus, intimis acuminato-aristatis, coloratis, integris; petalis plurimis (violaceis) vsnus apicum ciliato-denticulatis, exterioribus abrupte acuminatis, interioribus obtusis, cuspidatis; staminibus inclusis, filamentis basi rubellis, apice flavis; stylo supra stamina ex serto, stigmate vividi [infrandi?] buliformi; 13 partito

flower about 27 lines long, 24 lines wide when fully open; sepals which are adnate to the ovary 40 to 50 (the external ones on the ovary includes as always) forming tubercles with long wool at tip and 6 to 8 thin yellowish brown bristle shaped spines, about 3 lines long; sepals of the tube also 40 or 50, narrowly lanceolate tip only free, also woolly and with about 6 brownish bristles; innermost sepals about 18 or 20 narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, entire, coloured, without wool or spines, 30 to 40 in number. Petals 30 or 40 between rose and purple coloured, all denticulate toward the apex. — In flower 2 days —————————————— Send me if possible small live specimens of our other N. American Cacti ———————— Lindheimer wrote again; he is near San Antonio; is perfectly delighted with the splendor of the prairies there; says, this is the first time he has seen prairies in their beauty, more gorgeous than the richest carpets and [sweeter scent?] the vanilla, or violets etc — right in the midst of Cacti, Mimoseae, Palmaceae, Yucca etc. — I hope much from this years collection;

Fremont left here last week; he was very clever; he is withall an enterprising young man, cautious & persevering; and we must recognize that he shows a taste for natural sciences, especially botany, which we find seldom among his class. — Pity that he has the foible to wish to do every thing himself — (morbid ambition ?) I did what I could to instruct and assist him. —

Yesterday (I write on the 11th) I was perfectly astonished to see Mr Halstedt, who just arrived from the prairies, having given up his trip in consequence of a series of misfortunes. Mr Leconte has gone on.

Write soon again Very truly yours G. Engelmann

Single 25 [faded postmark] St. LOUIS JUNE 11 [Mo.]

Prof Asa Gray Cambridge Mass.

Box 4 plants sent from New Orleans on June 2d per ship Corsica to Fay & Farwell, Boston for Dr Gray. 43 Cacti Endlicher says that all Cactaceae have black seeds; but my Opuntia frutescens has white ones and they germinate now, in July, after having been in the ground 3 or 4 months; with two large (at first 1/2, then to 1 inch long) oblong linear cotyledons!

Are the fascicles of spines with their tubercles, which are plain in Mammillaria, but less distinct and confluent in Cercus & Echinocactus, are they leaves or branches? I should think the first. The short spines of the Opuntias correspond with the to [?] of many Cereus; Echinocactus etc — the flowers come out of their centre but always out of the axills of the spines proper.

The genera of Cactaceae appear not to be well characterized. Might it not also be of importance to pay attention to the production of the flowers above (or in the axills of) the bundles of spines of the same year, or of last year. Of the few that I have now seen in flower, my two Echinocacti and my Mammillaria sulcata produce the flowers in the axills of the bundles of spines of the same year, and my Cereus caespitosus in those of last year; Opuntia vulgaris also has the flowers on the joints (branches) of last year. —

I shall be much obliged to you for live specimens of all our Cactaceae from the upper Missouri, {Mammillaria} & {Opuntia} — and if I should obtain any from there, I shall send you specimens. Compare O. fragilis well, before you say that our frutescens is the same. Can you compare also M. simplex and M. vivipara from above with mine?

The Mammillaria seen by me in Gardens have all the flowers in the axills of the tubercles of last year, at least not at the top; but Nuttall's M. vivipara and my sulcata have them in the centre and in the axills of tubercles of this year and in a kind of tomentosus, which might be analogous with a Melocactus, only, not protruding. I have never seen a Melocactus. —

My Mammillaria similis will not come to flowering this season, but many of the leaves tubercles are also, though slightly sulcate, and produce at their base young branches, or clusters of tubercles, and sometimes also at their middle; M. sulcata has their ususally just below the spines at the upper and of the sulcus.

Echinocactus gymnocanthus has a ver woolly top and woolly flowers, and E. tenuispinus is glabous smooth, with glabra smooth flowers, with a long tube; it is just now in flower for 6 weeks to 2 months after the others. I was mistaken in describing the flower as very small, from a shrivelled fragment; it is about 2 inches long and wide with a etc — I shall describe it directly and request you to make the necessary changes in the former description. the description of the flower must be altered [loss]: