Asa Gray correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium, 1838-1892 (inclusive). Correspondence with George Engelmann, 1840-1856. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

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?

I have found here a number of Nutalls Nasturtia and intend to pay more attention to them next year. We have tanacetifolium pulustre, sessiliflorum, sinuatum and curvisiliqua as well as the natans.

Our Ranunculus aquatilis here, as well as the species collected west near Devil's lake by Mr Geyer, are the {Ranunculus} divaricatus Schrank distinct from aquatalis by the long style, and the stiff, hard divisions of the leaves which are sessile — Aquatalis I have not seen yet here. — But in Germany and England I have collected a Ranunculus which appears to be different from Aquatilis by the seeds, which are smooth, not hairy or bristly, only half as large, and globose; stigma sessile as in some aquatilis — It appears to me not described; and I have marked it in my herbarium {Ranunculus} biospermus, it grows on the margin of fresh or saltwater ponds, and all the leaves are capillary.

There I close my voluminous remarks today and shall not trouble you again with bad writing before I have heard from you.

Truly yours George Engelmann

A Gray MD New York.

Asa Gray MD care of Prof Torry 31 McDougal street New York

J.N. Nicollet St. Mary's College Baltimore

St Louis Octob 22 1841

Dear Doctor

I am writing you to death I believe but I can not help it to add to the several letters which I have latterly addressed to you a few lines.

I send you my Cuscuta's in return, and the Verbenas — all the hybrids are certain except V. angustifolia — stricta, which may be only a variety V. stricta urticifolia, which may be a hybrid of hastata and urticifolia, and V. stricta paniculata which may be perhaps V. stricta — urticifolia; the others are certain not only from examination but also from the location between the parent plants.

I send you our Nasturtium's except your americanum, which is also common here, and one or two more yellow ones, of which I am not sure — are the four right?

Some other plants which I have collected this fall may be interesting either to you or to the young gentlemen, who have promised me New york plants.

Our Japanese nodiflora is very different from garden specimens (West Indian) in my herbarium; these agree with Sprengl Syst {Systema vegetabilium} II, 751. but not ours

We have not 3, but 4 Physalis here, but I have them not identified with the described species, 1. annona glabra erecta, 2. annona pubescens patens decumbens. 3. perennis, villosa patens. 4. perennis glabra obscura, erecta munis patentibus.

Is Verbena diffusa perhaps my urticifolia-stricta? and what is spernia? I should like to get the following species, which I have not: V. caroliniana, diffusa, lasiostachys, spunia, lambertii and hastata, if hastata is any thing but my variety of paniculata. As amongst 50 specimens hardly one has hastate leaves, the name paniculata, though later, must be retained. —

Rumex persicarioides is hardly different from the German R. maritimus, except the shape of the leaves, no difference at all in the fruit.

I hope to hear soon from you, or else I shall deem my writings unwelcome to you, and must stop them!

Yours entirely George Engelmann

Dr. A Gray New York