Elliott, Stephen, 1771-1830. Stephen Elliott papers, 1791- approximately 1947. Letters from Henry Muhlenberg to Stephen Elliott, 1810 July 2-1812 November 11. gra00020. Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Botany Libraries, Harvard University.

[faded postmark] 25 [LANCAR].P] PAID ORC 7 Stephen Elliot Esq {Esquire} at Beaufort S. Carolina franco

Lancaster Oct. 5, 1812

Dear Sir

Your letter of August last is now before me and when I see the date and time of receiving it I must confess that I have transgressed an old rule "answer immediately whilst you are warm from the contents of a letter" I see that times have a great effect on correspondence and wars affect science. However we must redeem our time.

M. Kin has returned safe to our parts, he is a curious but I think very honest and industrious man, who has done much for botany. I have seen his large herbarium more than once and have corrected his names to the best of my knowledge but he can not remember a name well and spells so unaccountably bad that I am uncertain whether I would know his names again. He is apt to raise the variety to a different species which is a common thing with seeds and nursery men. If I mistake not his Quercus adversa is is var. alba, cucullata is coccincea var. suberoides is heterophylla Mich. fil, angustifolia Phellos a, Vaccinium ligustrinum in his herb. is resinosum Ait. Hydrophyllum hirtum Muhl. is appendiculatum Mich. Hibiscus philadelphicus is moscheutos — Akalea I did not see in his herbar.

Your remarks on your last packet were very pleasing [ 391. Utricularia cornuta I am still in doubt whether it is not the real cornuta. 407 the E. [Euphorbia] maculata L. is not in his herbarium and will remain doubtfull. The Cyperi are to me very difficult. n. 6. in my packet is the real [Cyperus] phymatodes Willd. MS. Smith took it for [Cyperus] esculentus if the roots were tuberous, they are, but I think the esculentus is distinct. it can not be strigosus L. Your 81 I think is the same and 473 n. 7 in my packet is strigosus L. secundum Schreber or Willdenow rad 4. Your 452 and 474 is my erythorrhizos ☉, this I take for strigosus Mich. hardly L. though Swarz returned it to me for strigosus and left my n. 7. without a name. When shall we be certain? Your 274 is a Juncus not a Cyperus, probably a transposition in the collection (474) Willdenow's Filices contain a small volume, whether any other volume has been published since I know not. He is rather slow. As he has been at Paris we may expect to have Michaux explained by Willdenow. In looking over the catalogue of your packets I find a few observations and queries added n. 7 grows all along our seashore and is caroliniana Mich. Salsota — I find in my garden that folia cantina are decidua, bractea ternae, n. 31. Paspalus lentifer Flügge secundum Swarz 32. Paspalum floridanum Swarz 52. Boerhavia erecta Swarz 71. A very similar plant now living in my garden from the Mississippi Sesbania picta affin. cor. lat. 97. Schoenus longirostris Swarz. Rhynchospora laxa Vahl. 104. Atriplex halimus L 112 Mariscus NS. Swarz 309. Platanus occidentalis planta junior

Amongst the Cryptogamia 1. 2. no Conferva but rather corallina 3 — 6. Conferva 8.9.10. Fucus 11, 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19—21. Conferva 22. Fucus 23. 24 Conferva 25— 27 Ulva 28—31. Conferva. 32. Phascum flexuosum Swarz 36. Weissia tortilis Sw. 58. 59. Fumaria patens Swarz 69. Hypnum subsimplex Hedwig 72. Leskia adnata Michaux, 70 71. Hypnum micans Swarz, 135. Neckera heteromalla ]

D. Baldwin sent me a great number of mosses and lichens. I sent him a full answer in June and numbered the plants as well as I could. He has returned me no answer whatever which is very unusual to the Doctor. Is he too much engaged or have letters miscarried? I have laid by his collections untill I hear again from him. Of mosses there were hardly any but what you sent or what I had before, of Lichenes a few distinct expecially a sticta nearly allied to crocata.

By comparing the mosses and lichens from the Jersies I see that the Jersies contain allmost every cryptogamous plant I have seen hitherto from the southward. Should you write to D Baldwin remember me to him respectfully and inform him how anxiously I wish to hear from him — especially on account of his elucidations [loss] Bartrams Travels.

Your new Cyperus, Boltonia glastifolia, Myriophyllum heterophyllum I wish to see, but how can we now exchange plants? Mr. Correa is gone to the northward and has not yet returned. He is an excellent man and I wish I could persuade him to travel to the southern states.

Do you know a plant they call in N Carolina Boarstalk? They use it there in the cancer with Sanguinaria, Phytolacca and Stramonium. I now will give you a short history of my opportunities I had since my last to advance in botany June 26 — I received a large packet of cryptogamous plants from Canada by the Revd Mr. Denke. Nothing different from Pensylvania At the same time a packet from Cherokee, a single plant not seen before by the name of Angelica, much like a Cicuta latifolia from N Carolina. Jul. 7. a packet from NYork from my son — a new Thalictrum, the Clematis ochroleuca native in the Jersies, Geranium robert. [robertianum] native, and southern plants Jul. 12. and afterwards letters from Z. Collins an excellent observer, who often makes excursions to the Jersies In my garden seeds from Washita and Mississippi vegetated and some flowered. Mimosa white thorn from Baton Rouge, Gleditschia [Gleditsia] monosperma, Nb Rivina laevigata? Sesbania platycarpa Jul. 24. Conversation with Mr. Ellicot [he?] found to the southward according to Michaux's figures Pinus mitis? pungens on Table Mountain, australis, serotina? rigida, taeda, strobus, canadensis balsamifera also a NS foliis dernis? brevissimis comis parvulis spinosis aggregatis, which can that be? He did not see rubra, rupestris, inops, nigra, alba. Aug. 22. I read Michaux fil. Acer and Nyssa, he figures A. [Acer] eriocarpum, rubrum, saccharinum, nigrum the sugar tree (to the westward) striatum, negundo; of Nyssa he figures grandidentata wild olive, capitata ogeche wild lime, sylvatica the common black gum, aquatica or biflora Mich pat. of this last I wish to have a southern specimen, he seems to me have figured only a variety of sylvatica. The Nyssa want a revision. Michaux fil. adds hardly a synonym. Aug. 23. a small packet from Kin, the only new plant to me Plantago sparsiflora L. Hedysarum humifusum in our woods the same as your 338 31. a packet of Jersey plants by my son. a new Senecio agreeing entirely with hieracifolius [hieraciifolius] but caule hirsuto, hirsutic monilifera. Sept. 8. a packet from the Jersies by my excellent friend Z. Collins new lichen juniperirus L. also L Marck's [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck] Encycl. [Encyclopédie méthodique botanique] very good figures of different American plants — Lindernia anagall., Ellisia — but his Hydrastis is not our Hydrastis though Sept. 16. a very instructive letter from Swarz and one from Acharius containing the nomenclature of mosses and lichens and some dubious plants sent to them. The phanerog. plants were chiefly unknown — of lichens 22 were new of mosses 18. I long to have an opportunity to send to you whatever is new and add what I learned to specimens you sent to me. Amongst my numbers correct or, add 126 Lecidea sorediata Ach. 141 Gyrophora papulosa A. 149. Lecidea russula A.

Swarz has sent a large packet of cryptog and other plants, but this is not yet come to hand — the Swede correspondents are by far more exact and quick and do not let us wait as Smith, Turner, Willdenow and others do from 10-15 years! I have sent off another packet a few days ago to Sweden.

D. Barton had the 1 volume of his new christened Flora virginica printed at Philadelphia containing Mondandria — Octandria? and sent every copy to London, from whence we may reimport it — Why? no body can say. If it is the same he showed me at a distance it will be a grand compilation of all synonyms from Gronov, Plukenet, Willdenow — with a few emendations elucidations and — Mr. Pursh is also a printing at London a Prodromus flor. Americanae. John Bull is fat and pays well, they intend to make the best of their collections. Let it then be so. I find it exetremely difficult to get even a small Catalogue printed. However my trouble is richly paid by the pleasure I find in pursuit of the science and the friendship of my valuable correspondents. I expect daily a visit from D Eddy and Mr. Leconte who are now on their travels through Pensylvania.

[ In my little garden a few plants [flo?] which [loss] not before Myosotis lappula fr. Virg Scleranthus annuus. Pens Spergula arvens. [arvensis] Pens Xanthium orientale NYork Atriplex virgata? NY. Euphorbia cyathophora Bald. [loss] Salsola carol. [caroliniana] NY Crotolaria retusa Oemler not [loss] Cassia occidentalis O. Cassia tora O. Sesbania platycarpa Miss. Washita Sept Sesbania picta? Natches Dolichos ensiformis — Lathyrus pusillus — Natches early Verbascum forthyris? lychnitis Virg. cor. alba Cucumis colog. aff. Winter melon Cherokee not eatable cor lut. Amsonia latifolia Teness. Medicago maculata — Natches Rivina laevigata Washita if new, circaezans Some wild probably flower next year if they stand our climate. ]

Pardon my dull writing as I am disturbed every minute. If you conveniently can spare a little time for me and favour me with a few lines to keep up the correspondence pray do [get?] remain with unchangeable respect Sir Your most obedient humble servant Henry Muhlenberg

[ As a little room is left I mention the name of our several water Conferves as returned by Swarz Vaucheria species Conjugata quinima indeterminabilis Ulva compressa on oysters Ulva lubrica Conferva fracta Oscillatoria limosa Coniugata nitida Conferva compacta Conferva Conferva crispata Oscillatoria muralis Lemannia NS. I do not think that any of your C. are amongst these. ]

11. Nov: 1812

Muhl Muhlenberg 25 [postmark] LANCAR. P 25 NOV 13 PAID Stephen Elliot Esquire Beaufort S. Carolina franco

Lancaster Nov 11, 1812

My dear Sr

Ever since I had the pleasure of receiving your last letter, which was dated Oct. 8 I have been waiting with anxiety for the arrival of ehe packet destined for me, but hitherto in vain. I therefore will not delay my answer any longer, but continue my narrative began in my last letter sent from here Oct. 5. perhaps it will not be disagreeable to you to hear how your friend fares in his botanical pursuits.

The evening I sent my letter away a letter from our mutual friend D. Baldwin arrived advising me that he had sent a packet for me (which is still by some unlucky accidents left at St. Mary) and that he intended to return on a short visit to Wilmington. I anticipated great pleasure in seeing him and conversing with him. He did come, but he is about this time gone again towards Savanna. May he arrive safe!

Soon after I received two packets of plants gathered in NYork State, one from D. Mease gathered at Ballstown [Ballston], of mosses not one new, of phanerogamous plants amongst many others common with us, Conium maculatum and Inula helenium entirely naturalized, two grasses named there red top one is Poa palustris Schreber nec L. the crocea Michaux, the other Agrostis vulgaris, likewise a prickly ash Zanthoxylum opposite Ticonderoga not the one common with us but rather the southern one foliolis serr. [Zanthoxylum] clava herculis L. How comes this so far northward!

The other packet was from my son at New York, who commonly goes to the Jersies to collect for me. Nothing new except a Senecio hirsutus mentioned before, caule hirsutis radii nulles and an exceeding small cospecies likewise radio nudo or dentatis.

About the same time M. Kin sent me all his Vaccinia but in very bad and imperfect specimens, which after naming had to return, As you have probably received the same we will compare notes and numbers and I wish to hear your opinion [1 Vaccinium fuscatum X fuscatum Wild amoenum Smith, disomorphum Mich. 2 V. pensilvanicum x sp 3 V. frondosum x est — et glaucum Mx 4 Vaccin. stamineum x est — 5 V. resinosum x est 6 V. virgatum x Wild. est, non differt a pens. 2. 7 V. nigrum x nigrum Loddiges NS. 8 V dumosum x est Lodd. an mucronatum L. diffusum Wild Ms. +9 V. carolinense x frondosum L. glaucum Mx ut 3 (fruit blue) ≠10 V. macrocarpon x est 11 V. corymbosum x Andromeda pilulif. [pilulifera] este videtur absq. floribus 12 V. lanuginosum NS x myrtilloides Mich? ≠13 V. buxifolium x brachyceros [brachycerum] Mx ≠14 V. sempervirens x alias myrsinites sed confer myrtifolium M (caule repente) 15 V. arandifolium x var. dumosi A mucronati L? ≠16 V. n.s. x without any fruitif. I ask crassifolium it is a southern evergreen P. 17 V. suberosum x near to one in Hamilton named distichum — evergreen 18 V. ligustrifolium x near 9 resinosum or frondosum +19 V. album x certainly a variety of resinosum ≠20 V. arboreum x Mich. diffusum H K. secoundum Smith ≠21 V. NS x near formosum, arboreum Loddiges nec Mich. +22 V. NS x near myrtifolium +23 V. NS x foliis spatulatus seems a var. of dumosum +24 V. NS x seems the real myrsinites M. small and evergreen ≠25 V. NS x probably frondosum +26 V. NS x very near formosum 27 V. tenellum x tenellum Wild. MS — Berry blue 28 — V. NS x Lonicera symphoricarpos L 29 V. latifolium x seems dismorphum and amoenum the evergreens he marked red the southern yellow — I will mark the southern according to his short description + if evergreen at the same time ≠] Perhaps I can persuade him to send better specimens, he spells bad and changes his names very often, but is an indefatigable collector.

Oct. 18. My excellent friend 3. Collins mentioned in a letter that M. Leconte had gone to Georgia, it seems both brothers are good botanists and gentlemen of great information, that Mr. Correa has returned from the bath of Ballstown [Ballston] in good health and that Mr. Correa informed him of the death of poor Willdenow which had happened four months ago! Certainly his death is a great loss for the botanical publick. Collins also mentions that probably Lewis's Travels will for some secret reasons not be published at least not in the proposed manner —

Oct. 31. I had a letter to inform me that a very valuable botanist, who travelled on account of the Prince Litgenstein [Liechtenstein] in Austria, Mr. Van der Schott died at Pittsburg, he left fine collections an a widow, who wishes to sell his books and collections.

Nov. 2. I received a packet of grasses especially Carices from a new and very intelligent correspondent in Chester Co. John Jackson, nothing new except a variety of Trichodium scabrum (Agrostis scabra Willd) flosculis aristalis, have you ever observed a Trichodium aristatum?

Nov. 5. Our good Baldwin advised me by letter of his safe arrival at Philadelphia and of his immediate return to St. Mary's. He brought Mr. Oemlers fine collectin of algae and a number of fine drawings made by — . You will no doubt have an opportunity to see or have seen both. The time to overlook them was very short for me, perhaps you can answer some queries for me to clear doubts and give more information. I have remembered the drawings they are [Nb. 1 in stagnant pools — Flowers not plain. Caule spith lut. inferne sub nudo, apice panic. cor. 4 ph. 2 Orchis psycodes L. 3 Chlora dodecandra L. Chironia chl. [chloroides] Mx 4 Orchis ciliaris Mx. var. lut. nb 5 Nn. syngenes? nb 6 Nn. pentandr. 7 Mespilus arbutifolia 8 Chloris monostachya 9 Clitori virg [Clitoria virginiana] nb 10 Nn. Cor. lutea Tabern [asrn.?] grandifl. [Tabernaemontana grandiflora] 11 Liatris? Figure mala 12 Statice limonium nb 13 Hypericum nov? floribus terminat. 3. 14 Salvia acuminata 15 Orchis ciliaris var. alba nb 16 Gramen paniculatum. Figura imperfecta nisi gramen non deser. 17 Cynanchum without the fruitification 18 [Triperella?] caerulescens 19 Monniera cuneifolia 20 Stillingia sylvatica nb21 Didynam. incogn. 22 Ludwigia capitata 23 Hibiscus virginicus prox. 24 Chironia gracilis? 25 Dilatris heritiera 26 Chironia stellata 27 Ipomoea bona nox (flore roseao) nb 28 Syngones Nn 29 Salsola caroliniana nb 30 Nn. caule tenui ramis alternis foliis setaceis Cor. lut. Stam 4. Figure imperfect 31 Sesamum indicum.]

Such as are not known to me I wish to have in good specimens. If I guess rightly Miss Green has drawn several of them and it is likely they might be had by her assistance. I have applied also to D Baldwin for information when I sent back the drawings.

The algae of Mr. Oemler gave me infinite pleasure but such nice things we should have for a long time. I made a few observations on them which I repeat that you may correct them as you have seen them with out doubt very often and may examine them closer.

Of his Fucus we have none or rather I have none as indigenous in my herbarium except F. natans, Sacharinus and subfuscens, which I take for your Numb. 17. the Ceramium virgatum Roth — pray examine the Conferva atro-purpurascens M. whether it is different — Of Conferves I have none indigenous agreeing except Conferva divaricata Roth, Oscillatoria laevigata? Conferva crinita Roth, Conferva nitida, Conferva muralis

Conferva furcata Hudson, Conferva capillaris Hudson? C. rupestris, Bratacho- spermum moniliforme Roth, Conferva rivularis (near crinita and quinina) Conferva atro-purpurascens (or your 17) C. cristata R. — Whether the labels of Mr. Oemler have not been once or twice changed I do not know, his Conferva polymorpha does not agree with Dill 35 mentioned by authors as the polymorpha and his plant has nothing of a Conferva but is probably a Fucus.

I have sent specimens of all the Fuci I have in my herbarium to Mr. Correa who is a great A dept. in this order. Should he favour me with an anwer I will inform you of his opinion, a few of our most common northern Fuci I have added to Mr. Oemlers collection that he may see what we have. How happy your and D. Baldwins situation is for Fuci and Confervus! Living at a great distance from the seashore I am obliged to beg from others, but excepting yourself and a few friends I have begged in vain.

I enclose a curious plant found on Lake Ontario, which is a native also of Carolina and described as such by Willdenow under the name of Azolla caroliniana. It grows in company of Lemna trisulca in standing pools. Have you ever found it?

In my last letter to Mr. Josephus Correa de Serra [Correia da Serra] I have mentioned to him your wishes to see him whenever he travels to the southward, probably I shall see him at Lancaster personally before long.

And now I must finish my long letter which I had to write under many interruptions, with many words but little matter. Favour me with an answer and your observations and believe me to be with unchangeable respect

dear Sir Your most obedient servant and sincere friend Henry Muhlenberg