Asa Gray correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium, 1838-1892 (inclusive). Correspondence with George Engelmann, 1857-1884. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

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St. Louis March 30th 1857 Prof [Professor] Asa Gray - Cambridge,

Sir: I just received from my brother, Dr. G. Engelmann, the included letter, which I sent to you with the following remarks. As geologist of a surveying expedition to Bridgers Pass in the Rocky Mountains I made a collection of plants for government, of about 240 different species. Most of them are probably known and described, but some I suppose are new, especially those from some small valleys in the mountains. There are generally well preserved. The commander of the expedition, Lieut F.T. Bryan, Top Eng. send this collection to Prof Bailey at Westpoint to dispose of them at his pleasure. Bailey probably by some misunderstanding, refused to accept them, and left them at the disposition of Lieut Bryan, who upon my advice wrote Prof Bailey to send them on to you. Shortly after that Prof Bailey died, and we do not know what has become of the collection. If it is not in your hands it must be at Westpoint; it is certainly worth the trouble of getting it away from there and looking over it. Lieut Bryan is willing to make you a present of it and only asks you for a catalogue of the

plants for publication in the report of the expedition.

If this is agreable to you please let me know it or Mr. Bryan; and if you can not get the box from Westpoint he will do his best to help you.

Very respectfully H Englemann

Write: H. Englemann, care of Ad. {Admiral} W. Slizenus MD. St. Louis Mo {Missouri} or {Lieutenant} F. T. Bryan Top. Eng {Topographical Engineer} U.S.A. St. Louis Mo

Leptochloa fascicularis also on sandy banks of Mississippi. Eragrostis n.sp. which I sent to you Arundinaria macrosperma lower Ohio & Wabash Paspalum fluitans Panicum sanguinale, glabo & filif. I believe I have remarked before on the distinct characteristics. {Panicum} dichotomum — The large flowering form ({Panicum} pubescens, etc.) and the small flowers and awns. ({Panicum} nitidem etc.) seem to be distinct, but not the smooth and pubescent ones. Cenchrus tribuloides, common on the sandy banks of the Mississippi Tripsacum dactyloides rare in fertile Praries. Andropogon virginicus ————— The plants our our Lead region in the south eastern part of the state (Bumelia, Oenothera missourensis Psorale esculenta, Leaves within Lithospermum tenellum — and others may be looked for in South western Illinois

Continuation of St. Louis Plants Cyperus tenuior n.sp. annuus, culmo acute triangulari laevi, foliis culmo sub brevioribus planis, margine dorsoque scabris; foliis involucri 13 exterioribus longissimis, radiis divaricato-ramosis; spiculis spicato-captatis; filiformibus subteretibus 7-9 floris; rachi squamis interioribus linearibus adnatis alata fragili, squamis exterioribus remotis adpressis obtusis, dorso herbaceis 5-nerviis, margine stylo ad medium 3 fido; achenio lineari triquetro apiculato basi paulo attenuato breviter stipitato squamas interiores aequante exterioribus paulo breviore.

Banks of a muddy creek in the Mississippi bottom opposite St. Louis together with {Cyperus} michauxeanus, {Cyperus} erythrorhizos Jussiaea repens; sometimes together with the latter floating among driftwood. fl. Septemb. — From 4 inches to 2 feet high; leaves in the larger specimens 4 l. wide; spikelets mostly brown, 6 l. long, thinner than in any distant so that the apex of the lower scale never touches the base of the upper one. Nuts about 7/8 of one line long. — The annual growth, the fragile spike, the distant inner scales which embrace the nut show an alliance with {Cyperus} michauxianus, from which however it is readily distinguished

{Cyperus} michauxianus has denser, longer spikelets 8-20 flowered with shorter and much thicker nuts.

{Cyperus} reclinatus n.sp. rhizonuto tuberoso, repente, culmo acute-triangulari, laevi; foliis culmum subaequantibus planis margine scabris; foliis involucri 4-6 umbellam superantibus; radiis simplicibus elongatis, spiculis laxe spicatus (inferioribus reclinatis) linearibus subtetragonis 5-8floris, rachi squamis interioribus linearibus adnatis alata, squmais exterioribus adpressis obtusis dorson herbaocis 7-9 nerviis, margine apice que membranaceis; staminibus 3 stylo ultra medium 3-fido; achenio oblanceolato-lineari triagulato apiculato, basi sine stipite attenuato squam interiorem sequanto exteriore tertio breviore

Sandy banks of the Merimac River South of St Louis, with Vernonia arkansana and Heliotropium [curassavicum?] (not yet seen in Illinois), fl. Aug & Sept — — by the tuberious rhizoma, larger spikes, more {Cyperus} tetragonus {Cyperus} baldwinii and {Cyperus} ovularis a peculiar section, in which {Cyperus} reclinatus has the loosest heads & longest spikes and {Cyperus} ovularis the most compact heads and shortest spikes. —

Culm 10-20 inches high; leaves 1 1/2-3 lines wide, spikelets green and whitish

6-9 l. long, 15-30 in a head; flowers rather distant; so that the top of one scale scarcely reaches to the base of the one next above it; nuts 1 1/3 l. long (in {Cyperus} setigerus 1 l.)

(I copy this from an old description which I may have sent you before. I have not reexamined the plants — but you have received no doubt specimens from me.)

Eleocharis compressa opposite St Louis Leersia lenticularis, thickets on the Illinois river near Peru

Stipa juncea Aristida gracilis {Aristida} ramosissima n sp. diffusa ramossimi, panicula stricta, pedicellis asperis glumis spicta simplisi laxiflora pedicellis laevibus gluma extrariore 5 interiore longiore profunde bifida 3 nervis apice aristatis, florem subaequantibus; paleis laevibus elongata, carvata demuum deflexa, flore longiore

Dry Prairies, Illinois, 8-18 inches high ligula truncate barbate; leaves flat, flowers 6-7 l. long. — A dichotoma is nearly allied, is a much stricter plant, strict panicle, small flowers shorter than the rough plaeae one-nerved; pedicel rough; middle awn twisted, hardly as long as flower.

Bouteloua papillosa