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.

2.) and others — I will examine Centunculus shortly. It is remarkable that some of them I believe do not grow east, but are familiar to the Mississippi valley — just as Myosurus — are these American plants then connected through Siberia with the European ones — if connected? —

A singular phaenomenon struck me in passing over the great lakes — their shores especially that of Lake Michigan present the appearance of the seahore — a beach, downs and and even breakers — and some plants that elsewhere grow only on the seashore are found there also — Pinus maritima, Glaux maritima, Cakile maritima, Psamma arenaria etc. — is that not strange? You undoubtedly can smell this catalogue of plants and this resemblence.

I repeat, what I said in the last letter, if you have any thing to send — send it to Mssrs Poppe Kimm & Jewes, St. Louis if in a box of dry goods, the new number of flora also, 2 copies.

I close here and rejoice that I have not to trouble you again with additions to Cuscuta! What do you say, shall I make fresh drawings? If those you have are note good and distinct enough, I better go over them again; — for that purpose you would do well to send those you have to me — or shall I for the benefit of the engraver send a sheet with the same

drawings, only as large again (my original drawings) so that he can see plainer what may be indistinct in the small ones. I think, I will do that, it is not much trouble to me, if you think it may be of any advantage.

Please call at Mssr Poppe's where you will get the plants.

Entirely yours,

George Englemann

[postmark] New-York FEB 7

Asa Gray MD Care of Prof Torrey 30 McDougal Street New York

You will oblige me if you think it of any interest to forward the enclosed to Prof Silliman.

Just in the moment of closing this letter I get a parcel of plants from Mr Buckley so that my question becomes unnecessary.

St Louis Feb. 17th 1842

My Dear Doctor

I was very glad to get yesterday tidings of the long lost parcel and owe you many thanks for your exertsions which brought the package to light again. I got by the same mail notice of the arrival of Mr. Kimm in New York, and shall wait with this answer a few days longer in the expectation of another letter from you. Meanwhile I have copied all the principal drawings of Cuscuta, as large again as in the small plate I sent you, and if they are too large so, the engraver may understand the small ones better, by comparing these. — Since my lst, I have nothing to add but a few more localities of Cuscuta. Cuscuta saururi Alabama (Dr. A. Prout); Texas, on Boehmeria, Polygonum etc (F. Lindenheimer) C. carinata L Alabama, on Salix and Aster (S.B. Buckley) Not improbably saururi and cuscuta are varieties of the same plant, and this nothing but the true americana; at least they are the most common of all, from Vermont to Georgia & Texas on some specimens I hardly know to distinguish.— It may be well to add this in a few words in a note.— Nothing from Torrey's collection? I have found on high shrubs a Cuscuta a few weeks ago which may be carinata, but is probably different — I shall look for it next summer. — When you examine Lepidanche in June you find it very different, full of very much branching vines; and 6 weeks later nothing but the plant as I sent it to you. — — In the European Cuscuta the capsule opens by circumscission and the base with the dissepiment adheres to the calyx. In the American specimens the capsule does not open at all but separates when ripe from the calyx whole. This makes a correction of a word or two in the generic description of Cuscuta necessary.

NB. In speaking of plants collected by Dr Frank in Ohio and sent to Germany, you say that some are labeled Baltimore, Pennsylv; but I believe this to be correct; Dr. Frank as much as I know has collected plants near a town or village in western Pennsylvania, by the name of Maryland Baltimore! I may be mistaken though.

I have waited till this day 27th for a letter from you, acknowledging the receipt of plants but am disappointed and will not longer detain the letter on account of the drawings. — A very interesting investigation is the immigration and naturalization of European plants here. You have many east, which are not yet here — and some are here around old French settlements and not yet around the later American places. Others, reputed immigrants are certainly natives; some identical with europeans (e.g. Myosurus, [Centranthera?]) are even common here and not east so far as I know but most of these are northern plants I believe.

Command my services, whenever you please — truly yours G Englemann

25 [postmark] St LOUIS FEB 21 Mo.

Dr Asa Gray Care of Prof Torrey 30 McDougal street New York

St Louis March 20th 1842

Dear Doctor

It is long that I have not heard from you, though I have no doubt, it is owing to the great labour of finishing satisfactorily the Compositae. And I would not address you just now — especially as I have already sufficiently bothered you with the Cuscuta — if it was not in order to give you some data about Compositae which may be interesting to you.

The other day I got from a friend who collects for me in Texas, Mr. {Ferdinand J.} Lindheimer, a beautiful collection of plants from there — Specimens as complete as you seldom see them — about the same as {C. A.} Geyers plants from the Upper Missouri — Many are new to me, but undoubtedly already known through {Jean-Louis} Berlandier or {J.} Drummond. Some I can not find in {Augustin Pyramus} DeCandolle's Prodromus and one ought to be already in your flora, if I am correct; as it is not there, I consider it new; though it is possible that I may be widely mistaken, for I have not paid great attention to the Compositae, and the niceties of their distinction as yet. The genus I believe belongs to Vernoniaceae and to the division of Elephantopeae and I suppose the species of Elephantopus with foliis triplinerviis E. virgatus in DC Prod must be something like this plant — It is distinguished however from the Elephantopeae by having an angled and not compressed involucrum and by not being exactly few flowered. [Margin note:] Palafoxia texana I send you in the collection which you will soon receive a specimen, (a branch of my only specimen) which you may keep; in the letter I will put a small branch and leaf, so that you may judge of the correctness of my surmises. If you agree with me, to consider the plant new, I should be obliged to you, if you would give it the name of one of my earliest and best friends and an enthusiastic admirer of nature, and a