Asa Gray Correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium

I will send you some plants in some journal, and among others a few more branches of this Aster. I doubt wether I can get a root, if I can, you shall have one. To you as botanical gardener or gardening botanist it will be interesting to learn that amongst Lindheimers plants was a bulbus plant, where though the bulbs were cut in halves, I found a little young bulb living, planted it, and it grows! Seeds I have not yet got from him. This bulb is perhaps a new genus, like amaryllis but with a very long tube of corolla; like Crinum but smaller, and one flowered; however we shall see when it grows. As I have the roots there I sent you drawings of these Texas Asters; one is a Tripolium, perhaps T. linifolium but longer ligales, larger leaves grows in brackish swamps — I have only one flowering head, as you see = the drawing. — The other is an Aster, belonging to concinnus, near virgatus; which I have called vernalis collected end of March on moist praries near Houston; of this I include a head, and shall send you a specimen.— I am afraid to trust to the Mississippi any valuable plants; a few weeks ago I lost 2 parcels for Mssrs Carpenter and Riddell.— May not Hookers {Cuscuta} cononata from New Orleans be our L. aspressa? also on a Laurus!

Aster heterogenus, or the name of A. anomalus would be preferable? I leave you the choice; petioles not margined, (only on the large specimens on the upper leaves somewhat;) but dilated at base.

Aster ramosissimus — scoparius would be a better name, or is junceus preoccupied? a singular plant of saline prairies near the Galveston bay. I send you a drawing and a few branches. I have only a single flowering head; ovaries glabrous! —

The Cuscuta which you sent me a year ago belong all to vulgivaga except the one on Saurauia and the Pelagona; those for Mr Carey also; only one is vermosa.

I shall look through my Compositae and take notes for you; that I may trouble you with another long letter soon.

I include my additions to Cuscuta, and wish you may have it published. I think it better to wait not longer; many obsesrvations and remarks, [loss]ish have nothing to do with the identification of the species [loss] have left out; the drawings at the bottom are for you; please [loss] the off, and just them away in your copy of the paper.

I think Aster is an easier genus than Vernonia. I am nearly satisfied [loss] all our Vernonias: noveboracensis, praealta, baldwinii, arkansana & [loss?] altissima are one and the same! I shall send you forms between Arkansas & [loss]lta; collected with the first one. From fastigiata to praealta we see all the [loss]itions as we advance from wet prairies and rather swampy places to dry land; altissma is the form in shady rich woods, arkansana on sandy riverbanks, baldwinii dry, barren sunny hilly country, and praealta everywhere! I see nothing to add at present and close.

Truly yours G. Engelmann

Would you advise to change Lepidanche adpressa to Choisy's name: Lepidanche compacta? Perhaps it would be better but the same would be much more appropriate for the other species! However if you say so, please to get those which I have not, [loss], spectabilis, gracilis, undulatus, greenii, laxus, praealtus, elodes, [loss]tium acuminatum , nemoralis, unifolius, perhaps Mr Carey would furnish them.

Notes on Aster. Aster macrophyllus collected by me on Manitou Island, and in Michigan. My specimens os A. corymbosus for Mr Lapham are nothing but this plant, grown in shade, with the inner leaves A. paludosus Texas, Galveston, Lindheim. a very rigid plant, totally different from a plant which Mr Curtis sent me lubellum A. paludosus? which is perhaps A. surculosus. A. phyllolepis Texas Lindheimer A. phyllolepis β. argyrolepis collected by me on the prairie of southwest Arkanasas, a stouter plant, with considerably large heads, old leaves not smooth but scabrous above, and canescent and scales canescently pubescent, scabrous when old A. ramosissimus might be called an Aster collected near the coast by Mr Lindenheimer, apparently similar to A. scoparius Dec, which name would be very appropriate too. perrenial, lowest cauline leaves lanceolate, firm, very scabrous; leaves of the numerous virgate branches small, linear lanceolate, adpressed involucrum leaves acute, lanceolate adpressed Acheni glabr. belongs to concinni ? very near azureus!; perhaps near brachyphylli also! A. patens Texas — I have never seen the form phlogifolius A. laevis common here in all forms A. virgatis Ell? fron Texas, Lindheim but achenia pubescent, inflorescence racemose A. vernalis n.sp. Texas, Lindheim, near virgatus & [granulatum?] apparently, ovary slightly pubescent! A. turbinellus common here in open grass woods, dry hilly soil. A. azureus common in all sizes and shapes; our most common species in prairies and open woods, and every where on road sides etc. Small and large 6 inches to 3 feet nearly smooth (except the scabrous leaves) to rough hairy; flowers larger & smaller; our earliest Aster, end of July to Octob. A. zureus β vernus, Texas Lindheim. March and April together with A. vernalis: lower leaves entire, [arcuate?] or subcordate at base, lanceolate elongate; scale of involucre ramouses, linear lanceolate, acute or acuminate. A. undulatus never seen! is yours: throughout the United States correct? A. cordifolius, glabrous, stem weak, leaves membraneous, heads very small, flower pale blue or white — together with another form with stouter stem, pubescent firmer, leaves less largely toothed, inflores. an — more compact heads. little larger, flowers blue; I can find no other difference. A. sagittifolius — what I take to be the true sagittifolius is a plant 2—4 feet strict, few branches if any, smooth, few lowest leaves only cordate, most cauline ones [drawing] of this shape; panicle contracted, thyroid flowers white growing in dry open woods margin of thicket involucrum scales loose. — But there is another plant appare[loss] quite different and if I am not much mistaken, the Durmmondi of St Lou[is] which can hardly be any thing but a variety of sagittifolius, or a n[ew] species between {sagittifolius}: H & Drumnondi. — Involucre the same, loose etc flowers blue — whole stem & leaves pubescent, lower surface somati[loss] canescently tomentose; always soft, leaves larger wider and cauline ones more cordate; but Acheni moist shady places. A. drummondi! Texas; not yet seen here; Involucre not as loose as the last, smaller heads short peduncled, racemose, but not so crowded, leaves still more cord [loss] smaller. A. ericoides rare here, even on the richest black soil of a low Prairie with Helianthus rigidus. A. multiflorus common A. dumosus — A. Tradescanti here A. miser — all varieties which certainly are only varieties! A. simplex well-defined rather common, nearly always perfectly smooth or with [loss] in lines; 2 remarkable varieties. 1) is very near A. carneus; only by th[loss] shorter pappus and pubescent Achenia distinguished, same habitus etc. rich shady banks of a slow stream; 2) muddy banks of the same stream loss] with flowerheads larger, long peduncle, few, scales large, foliate [loss]

Aster tenuifolius well characterized by the bellshaped involucrum, common in many forms, but never smooth, always rough hairy; in the prairies 1-2 feet high, leaves wide; in corners of [fences?] 4-5 feet high, leaves very narrow etc. — Achenia pubescent; A. carneus common; a beautiful species. Achenia glabriuscula A. oblongifolius; brinks of precipices on the Mississippi; Prairies; here always graveolens! A. novae angliae A. heterogenus Aster nemoralis. my garden specimens are certainly a Galatella, and [congenus?] and very near Galatella hyssopifolia; but they may be some other species; I have never found it spontaneous A. [pharnaceoides?] not here, but in prairies in North Illinois very common, already 50 or 100 miles from here. Aster angustus; does not s specimen in Nicollets collection make 45 belong here? A. divaricatus. Sandy banks of Arkansas river A. linifolius 2 figured on the other sheet, Texas

Double 50 Pof. Asa Gray [postmark] St LOUIS DEC 14 Mo. Cambridge Massachusetts

[Lia]tris mucronata Dec — certainly the true form with abruptly acumminate scales, and very long spike. I have from Texas & Louisianna; but my lanceolate, which I have sent you is perhaps the same which you mention as your specimen from Dr Hale & Drummond Liatris lanceolate, glabra, radice tuberosa, multicipite, caule folioso, foliis linearibus basi dilatatis, semiamplexicaulibus, apice callosis obtusiusculus, punoticulatis; species densis brevibus capitulis subsessilibus adpressis, 4-5 floris, squamis parvis adpresses (sub-octonis) purpureis eciliatis lanceolatis acuminatis, subulatis pappo brevioribus; exterioribus brevisisimis acheniis glabriusculis pappus plumosum aequantibus — Sandy wet Prairies, Houston April & Mai Different from L. mucronata by the short spike, larger heads (5-7 [lines?] long) [lanecoluta?] scales much larger, smooth or a little scabrous achenia which is not shorter than the pappus but equal to it; also by the [di?] cuticle of the base of leaves which is only on the lowest leaves of L. mucronata; by the callous rather obtuse tip; leaves of L. mucronata are very acute — [token?] of flowering. Probably by far the earliest flowering Liatris!

[loss] work out the Asclepiadaceae now! I wish you would send [?] or [loss] [cortheum?] bark, which I [contr?] to you; I have several splendid Texas only

Two new genera of Texan plants discovered by F. {Ferdinand Jacob} Lindenheimer and G. Engelmann, M.D. [51?]

Lindheimeria calyx inferus unceolatus, 5 dentatus, lana densa vestitus, persistens! corolla infern, tubulosa, 5 dentata, scariosa, persistens; antheme uniloculares sessiles in favre corollae, at alernantes cum lobis; ovarium supenum 1 ovulatum styles imus, stigma capitature; only & fructis ferus indumtus, compressus, marginibus spinoso — cristatis, latere altero basi 1-spinosus, altero 2 spinosus, totus lana densa vesitus. Utriculus membranacous, indehiscens, 1 spermus; semen fumiculo longo capillaceo e fundo capsulae onto instructum et ex ejus apice recurvo pendulum. Embryo cylandricus circum albumen farinaceum incurvus, peripherious redicula ad hilum versa.

Genus Scleranthaceis maxime affine et a Guillelminia solummodo corolla monopelala dislinctum.

Herba texana annua, erecta, lanuginosa, foliis oppositis, exstipulatis, floribus spicatis spiris intermptis, ramosis integris Genus amicissimo f. Lindheimer, percontatori florae texanae dilligentissimo dictatum.

L. texana foliis lanceolatis, inferioribus in petioleum, attenuatis, superioribus sessilibus, supra viridibus scabridis, subtus albo-lanuginosis Plant of the habit of Agrostemma coronaria; about 15 or 20 inches high; flowers small, densely spiked in interrupted in dense clusters, forming an interrupted spike; corolla yellowish, anthers bright red; grows in small groups in sandy places near Houston Texas; flowers in September and October.

Crinidium spaths bifida unifloral, Cooperia, pengonium superum longe tubulosum, limbi subsessiles; stylus exsertus; stigma 3 lobum; capsula infera 3 valvis, 3 lovularis, semina plura disticha, imbircata (4-8 in loculis singulis)!

Genus Crino affine, spathi uniflora tubo elongato et antheris sessilibus diversum. Nomen ex affinitate Crinii.

Herb bublosa texana. Crinidium Crinidium antumnale foliis linearibus, scapo brevioribus tubo floris elongato (4-6 pollirari), laciniis limbi ovato — lanceolatis exterioribus mucronatis (polliraribus) capsula depressa.

Grows in dry prairies near Houston Texas (F. Lindheimer) In flower from August to October.

Leaves 3 to 4 inches long, linear filiform, frequently withered about the time of flowering; scape 4 to 8 inches high and tube of the white flower nearly the same length. It grows on many places between Houston and Galveston, but generally solitary.

[drawing] fruit [drawing] horizontal [drawing] vertical [drawing] seed [drawing] embryo [drawing open corolla Lindheimera E W Oplotheca

[pencil annotation in Asa Gray's hand] | Sent him | Flora vol. 2 pt 2. " 2 copies Vol. 2. part. 3. Returned [Eupatica?].

Arrvd Feb. 13. St Louis Jan 18th 1843

My dear Doctor

Mr. [Tewes?] will leave here tomorrow and take with him a package of more than 70 seeds, some of them our rarer plants, but the greater part of them from my friend Lindheimer from Texas; included in the parcel is the bulb of new Amaryllis like plant and of a Crinum; this last may be C. americanum, or probably some other species; both from Texas; the first is certianly a new genus, Crinidium, of which below.— Besides this parcel of seeds there is a considerable package of plants, with a few exceptions Compositae, rare or doubtful which, or a few of which may be useful to you. I am afraid I have made the parcel to large already, though I have confined myself to this family alone, but before spring I hope to be able to send to you another larger parcel, with rare plants — Together with the Compositate is a small parcel containing all my Cuscutaceae, 11 species for Hooker; you will oblige me by forwarding them together with a request to send me if possible a specimen or at least a small piece of his American, Californian, Oregon etc, Cuscutae, especially C. arvensis & umbrosa; and if it can be done, a flower or two of the Gronovian, Tamaran, and other specimens of the old herbaira.

Lindheimer is with me at present; and we study his and my specimens, — so that he will be enabled to make more valuable collections yet next season, than he did before. You have seen some of his specimens, and will see more and can judge from them that they are better selected, more complete and better preserved specimens than most of those you may have seen before if I except Mr Geyer's — They are not pressed so tight — crushed to pieces, — like Mr Lapham's nor dried like hay, like Mr Buckley's, — nor only the top of the plants like Mr Brownne's.— Now, as Lindheimer is to devote a few years entirely to the exploration of Texas, and the collection of plants there, and intends to make at least his living by it; he as Geyer is to do the same thing in our western & northern country, I have conceived the idea to offer their collections for sale, by centuriae. We would guarantee the genuineness, the good preservation and careful selection of the specimens, and that only the rarest plants of the western and south western country would be contained in this collection; that therefore only two to four centurieae in one year could be furnished, but that the price could not be under 8 or 10 dollars, furnished in St Louis, or New York; first centuria to be delivered next

summer or fall; and payment to be made one delivery giving the order for the plants. What do you say to that plan? If you approve of it, and think it feasible, you will do me a favor to publish and advertisement in Sillimans Journal to that effect; and botanists who wish to obtain a collection may apply to you or to me; it would be well to say in the Journal also a few words referring to the advertisement and to publish the same also in England. — I will take care to put it in French and German journals. In that way we would encourage adventurous and ardent botanists, would get a better knowledge of distant and little known countries, and obtain full suits of good specimens therefrom. If such under takings find favour, they might be extended to the mountains and Oregon where Nuttall & Douglas may have done much but certainly not all. Tell me your opinion about it. The price might be put at two £ Sterling less than a [dollar?] it could not well be, for 100 plants. —

I was determined to have called a beautiful and interesting new genus by my friend Lindheimers name, and I believe I have found one now amongst those collected by him last fall. It is rather an anomalous thing, but though it is monopetalous, I can not but most class it near Illecebraceae it is hardly in any way different from the South American Guilleminea except by the monopetalalous corolla! and impossible, I think to divide it from it, and take it from this family Solaenacanthus. You find a specimen — and seeds in the parcels sent now by me. The later description of this and another new genus you find on another page and if it meets with your approval I beg you to send it to Dr Silliman to insert it. If I am not too late, already, I should not like to loose the right to name that plant after my friend. —

Besides these the parcel contains a pretty full suit of Missouri and Texas Vernoniae — only the transition of V. fasciculata and praealta is not there, but full suits may be obtained even more readily than between the other. — Some of the plants are marked: please return; which I wish you to return when you have examined them, as they are only specimens; the others you will please to keep if you like. Perhaps Dr Torrey expects me to write to him about the Cuscutae of his herbaria; I shall do so and send him also a full suit of my specimens together with some others. rare plants. — Our Aster sagittifolius near Drummondii has probably been mistaken for this Texan plant; you will be able to examine [Ivers?] specimens, which I send you.

not conic at all rather somewhat flattened. fl. in Texas in April & Mai. rays 1 1/4- 1 3/4 inches long. — E. sanguinea is stouter; peduncle long, incrussate, for some distance below the head and considerably so immediately below it; head as large again hemispherical and somewhat conical; fl. near St Louis in Mar & June; rays 2-2 1/2 inches long. Helianthus recurvatus n.sp. similar to H. angustifolius. stem simple or nearly so., leaves narrower, more crowded spreading or recurved, scabrous above and hispid benath. Disc brown not purple; disc fllowers with long exserted anthers (in H. a. anther equal to corolla) tube of corolla smooth (not pubescent) one forth as long as the neck (not one half as long). only tip of segments of corolla purplish — Achenia, pappus, paleae. the same in both.

Solidago microphylla n. sp. caule glabro angulato (plenamque colorato) supra virgatim ramoso; foliis glabris, adpresse serratis, margine et subtus ad nervos ciliato — scabris reticulatis, caculinis inferioribus lanceolatis basi attenuatis, subpetiolatis, acutis superioribus spathulatis obtusicaulis s. acutis, subintegris racemis secundis elongatis virgatim paniculalis squarnis involucri linearibus acutis, viridi nerviis; acheniis pubescentibus fl. disci. 4-6; fl. radii 2-4. — Margin of woods with H. altisssima Houston Texas, Sept. Octob. —

Solidago lindheimeriana caule basi adscendeate folioso, glabro simplios, foliis lineari lanceolatis, mucoronatis, erectis, inerioribus, elongatis basi angustatis, superioribus sensium brevioribus semiamplexicaulibus uninerviis, sparsium venosis, pelluoida reticulatis glabris (subcarnosis) integris, margine scabris; panicula contracta pedicellis longis bracteosis, subsecundis, angulatis, subscabris; capitulis majusculis, squamis linearibus glabris, externis brevibus, laxis; fl. radicalibus 6-10 fl. disci. 11-13 acheniis minutia pubenulis, Barren plains in a high prairie west of Houston; fl June & July.

Similar to S. angustata T & Gr. but distinguished by the ascending stem, folia integra, pedicelli elongati, achenia puberula!

I dont trouble you at present with my notes on other plants. If you send the short article on the two new genera to Siliman, please to cut off the rough figures, which I have appended. — The parcel from you sent last fall is not yet here but probably on a boat on the Mississippi in the ice or on a sandbar. Mr Poppe will soon send a large quantity of goods here

25 [postmark] St. LOUIS JAN 20 Mo. Dr Asa Gray Cambridge Mass

that will be a good opportunity to sned me somthing; also a copy of 2nd nr. of 2d volume of flora for Lindeheimer, which I bespoke through Dr. Brown; — if you have not yet sent it, please let me have it, and charge me with it.

Write soon Yours entirely G Engelmann

Dr A Gray Cambridge

Arrvd March 27 — St Louis March 9th 1843

My dear Doctor

Yours of 13th of February reached here at the end of last month, late and partly nearly illegible on account of its having laid with the mail in some stream! — I am very glad to see the end of Compositae, but I have here the same misfortune, which I had with my Cuscutae, I am just too late with my annotations?

Never the less I have sent the parcel a few days ago to New York; it had been laying here since 6 or 8 weeks and nobody would trouble himself with it. You receive about Compositate for your own Herbarium and about which I wish you to return Lindheimeria and Crinidium is amongst the numbers. You will find some remarks on the letter first on the next page; the latter may not be new, as it appears not to be a rare plant in that part of Texas, and a very showy one in August & September. You have now undoubtedly got the seeds, and the two bulbs, which I hope are sound. —

Have you looked through my additions? do you find any thing new in them? — The Compositae must be still so fresh in your memory that it will be easy for you to examine my specimens and give your opinion about them and return those which I wish to get back.

Now Lindheimer! His predilections, his health, and the very proper wish to come to a certain conclusion with his botanical labours in one part of the country before he moves to another will cause him to prefer Texas to any other field of operations. Besides that his money means are so contracted, that at present he could not do more if he would! — He is amply prepared to go to Texas, is aquainted with our plants here, and with

a part of the flora of Texas, and will make his collections in future to great advantages. — Do you know any thing about Drummonds movements in Texas, when, at what seasons and where he was there? It would be important for L. to know that. — By the by, Drummonds name recurs a little to often in the botany of Texas, Aster Dr. Solidago Dr. [Malvaceae?] Dr. and hundred others, don't you think so — where should we come to, if the names of collectors are to exclude most other trivial names?

Geyer does not expect to go with Fremont on any expedition, but will go any how, and I encourage him and intend, to assist him, for I know his zeal and his indefatigability and you know also the beauty of his specimens. He will do a great deal for the promotion of our knowledge of western botany. But before 4 or 6 weeks it can not be known how he will get off and where to.

{Friedrich Georg Jakob} Lüders, who brought a letter from you, and was recommended to you by Prof Lehmann, has collected last summer in the interior of this state, but was sick several months, so that he could not do a great deal; by the way, he has also found the Aster anomalus. — His warmesst wish now is to get to the mountains; how would it do to recommend him to Mr Fremont or the head of the Oregon expedition? I believe F. {Fremont} would like him much better than Geyer and Lüders was much delighted with my proposition. — I am going to write to Lieutenant Fremont myself today though I doubt, whether he goes, as the Oregon bill does not appear to pass. — Lüders will go either in the employment of the government expedition, or under its protection only. In the first case his collections will belong to the government in the latter he is willing to have them distributed in the same way, as Lindheimers and Geyers — We can not have labourers enough in the field!

[continues next page below line] —————————— Would you assist Lüders application by your recommendation to Lieut Fremont? — He would have a good influence I expect. Do so! — Do you know any thing of Nuttalls friend, Mr. {William} Gambel, who went to Santa Fe and California 2 years ago? —

I expect your answer soon, and in my next I can tell you more about our arrangements, so as to be able to publish them in scientific journals.

Now another interesting thing. Since I wrote you last

[top of page] Lindenheimeria belongs to the Scleranthaceae: Link: Calyx persistens, fructiges cum incluso pericarpio deciduus, tubus campanulatum faux (anulo glanduloso?) coarctata; limbus (4-)5 partitus, aestivatium; imbricatus. (Petala nulla) Stamina (ante annulum facies inserta) 5, [calyis?] laciniis opposita. Quarium liberum uniloculare etc; Stylus 1 capitatus s. emarginatum: Utriculus membranaceous calycis tubo indurato inolusus. Embryo peripherous, albumen farinaceum, — Folia oppositi ex stipulata Decandolle III. 377 has the same only shorter. Lindley (Torrey; edit) : (Apetelous) dicotyledous — inferior tubular indurated calyx, perigynous stamens — — etc.

All the underlined words are especially characteristic; the inclosed ones are exceptions in our plant from the common type.

Amaranthaceae have "Perigonium 3-5 partitum persistems," or "calyx" 3-5 leaves, hypogynous, scabrus, persistent" — stamen hypogyna

So both families are described as apetalous and if that should prevent the attaching the Lindheimeria to Scleranthaceae it will do the same in regard to Amaranthaceae but as Scleranthaceae are considered to be near Illecebraceae (which have petals, Lindh. with its gamopatalous corolla may rather be referred here than to the always apetalous Amaranthaceae. — Then the indented calyx, which form the outer integument and part of the fruit, and comes off with it tho to ge as also the perigynous stamen should divide: in Amaranthaceae the stamens are hypogynous, and the calyx is simply persistent.— As I have sad before, the Chilian Guielleminea of Humboldt must bear a very close resemblence to the Lindheimeria.

I have received a letter from Hooker, written after he had seen my Cuscuta paper. He requested me to send him specimens of Cuscuta, encouraged me to go on in that way and asked wether I would not undertake a monography of the family; and offered the loan of his herbarium! — He appears to have not known any thing of {Jacques Denis} Choisy's monography. I answered him, after that it would probably be a superfluous undertaking now, but if he wished it, I thought it still useful I was very willing to do it — as I feel a great interest in that genus now. — He asked whether I myself or any body else would go up the Missouri and collect — and in that way he prepared the way for my propositions of Lindheimers and Geyers (and Lüders perhaps) collections. I wrote him of their plans. — I sent him also a description of my Lindheimeria as I wanted to have an interesting, remarkable genus dedicated to my friend. — — In the parcel for you is a small package of Cuscutae which I request you to forward to Hooker.

Single [postmark] 25 St. LOUIS MAR 10 Mo.

Prof Asa Gray Cambridge Mass

I hope to get an early answer from you; and learn from you that you got the seeds safe, and that they begin to germinate. The roots collected for you appear to be all killed by our extraordinary long and hard winter. Then is still snow in the streets to day, When the Erigenia ought to be in bloom! I will try to get roots again when the ground opens.

Yours entirely! G. Engelmann