Torrey Botanical Society

Dr. Torrey's First Trip to the PinesAuthor(s): John TorreySource: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. 6, No. 15 (Mar., 1876), pp. 82-84Published by: Torrey Botanical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2475711 .

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of head waters of Cooper River, not far from Black Oak on the Santee Canal. I have also received nuts taken fiom a tree on Cooper River. It seems to be rare and quite limited in range.

Quercus Georgiana, (Jurtis.-In 1848, whilst on a visit to Stone Mouintain, Ga, I found this Oak growing abundantly along the road up the mountain. It is rather bushv in habit, and not ex- ceeding eight to ten feet in height. The species was described and named fiom my specimens, and I have never heard of its being found elsewhere.

Eriocaulon Ravenelii, Chapman.-This species was described by Dr. Chapman in his Flora of the Southern States, from specimens collected by me, many years ago near Pinopolis, a small village, not far from Monek's Cornier on the North-Eastern Railroad, ancd about thirty miles north of Charleston. Like its congeners this was found in low, wet, grassy places. I have niever been able to procurie any more of it, and the only specimens are those sent to Prof. Gray and Dr. Chapman, besides those in. my owni herbarium. It woulcl probably be overlooke(d for the more common Lachnocaulow Michauxii.

Cyperus Iria, L-This Cyperus (probablv introduced) is fotun(d in damp roadsides alnd ditches about the neighborhood of Black Oak in St. Johns, Berkeley. I lave also seen it on the road not far from Charleston.

Nitella praelonga, A. Braun.-I found this plant, in 1875, grow- ing submerged in the old Santee Canal, some two or three miles above Black Oak. It was sent to Dr. Engelmann and by him for- warded to Prof. Braun, who described and named it as above. The locality is now lost, as the old Santee Canal (cut nearly one hun- dred year-s ago to connect the Santee and Cooper rivers) has beeni abandoned since the opening of the North-Eastern Railroad. It may possibly be foutnd in still water s in the vicinity. My specimens were collected in June, when in bloom.

AIKEN. S. C. H. W. RAVENEL 84. Dr. Torrey's First Trip to the Pines.

The members of the Torrey Botanical Club and the r-eaders of its BIJLLETIN will be interested, we are sure, in the following characteristic letter, the originial of which is in possession of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. It was written by Dr. Torrey in his 22d year, just after he had prepared for pub- lication his Catalogue of the Plants of the vicinity of New York. In connection with Dr. Torrey's remarks upon the original locality of the Schizaea, it is not amiss to state that with the specimens of that fern in the Hlerbarium of the Lyceumn of Natural Historv, are the following notes, the first in the hand-writinig of Dr. Torr ey-the second in that of the lamnented Wm. Cooper:

"1 First discovered by Dr. C. W. Eddy, niear Quaker Bridge, in the pine-barrens of New Jersey, abouit fifty miles from Philadel- phia. Dr. E. was in company withi J. Leconte, Pursh and C. Whit- low, anid though he and Mr. Leconte found all the specimens, Pursh has claimed the honor of the discover-v himself. TORREY and COOPER, 1818."

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Firist foutnd in 1805 *; not fouind again till detected by me in company with Dr. Torrey, in Jutne, 1818. COOPER."

J. H. R. NEW YORK, July 9th, 1818.

DEAR SIR: We arrived at S. Amboy one week after we left Philadelphia,

and, although our journey was rather an arduous one, we think our- selves well rewarded for all the privations we endured. The prin- cipal difficulty we experienced was in keeping the right road. Hundreds of these little roads cross each other in every direction like a labyrinth, so that it is next to a miracle if you hit the right one. We remained two days at Thompson's Tavern, where we were ver y [well] entertained. About this time we found a [consider] able number of plants which were new to us, indeed there were few plants but what we found here. The Drosera filiformis and foliosa? Ell. were abundant, as well as two species of Utricularia, one of which does not appear to be described. What pleased us more than any plant we fournd was the Schizaa. Cooper found the first specimen. lt is a singular little plant and I first doubted wheth-er Pursh had referred it to the right genus, buit subsequent examination has con- vinced ine that he is right. The whole of the plant which we saw was confined to a very small space. There is a small patch of it about forty-five yards from the W. end of the bridge, on the left side as you approach it fiom Philadelphia, and about twelve feet from the road. I have been particular to mention its locality as this is the only spot where we found [it.] We found abundance of the Leio- phylluin and Hudsonia, some of them,in flower. The latter plant I am inclinied to think is a different species from the one which grows on the sea coast. At first sight you are struck with the long pe- duncled flowers of the one, and the almost sessile flowers of the other. We found two species of Eriocanlon; one common, tall and with large hemiiispherical head and tuft of short leaves at the base; the other smaller, with loncg leaves. They are both ten-striate.

After we had left Quaker Briclge we fared pretty hard. Some places called 74verns that we put up at were niot fit for an Arab.

At a place called the Ten-mile -Hollow or Hell-hollow we expect- ed to sleep in the woods, for it was with difficulty that we per- suaded them to take us in. This was the most miserable place we ever saw; they were too poor to use candles. No buttei-, sugar, etc. A little sour stuff, which I believe they callecl rye br eau, but which was half sawdust, and a little warm water and molasses, were all we had for breakfast. For supper I cotild not see wlhat we had, for we ate in the dark. From this place until we reached Monmouth we found scarcely a single plant in flower.

We found near Philadelphia a species of Planta"o which may be new. It is not described in Persoon but it may be the P. linearifolia of Muhl. Cat. 2d e(d. I shall send you specimens of it together with

* A letter of Dr. Muhlenberg's to Z. Collins, dated 1812, says " discovered last year by Mr. Pursh and Dr. Eddy)" from which Mr. Redfield concludes that the date, 1805, is too early, but a comparison of Pursh's preface inclines us to accept Cooper's statement,-EDs.

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most of the plants we collected in our journvey. I hope youi will in- dulge me if I trouble you in this way once in a while.

I remain Sir, with the greatest respect, etc., yours, JOHN TORREY.

If there is any yoLung botanist in. your society that wouLld be willino to commence botanical correspondence and exchange of specimens with me I should be very glad to commence one immediately.

To ZACCHEUS COLLINS, EsQ., Phliladelphia. ? 85. Acanthospermum xanthoides, D C.-This plant was

discovered in Atlanta, Ga., last Summer, by MIr. T. B. Gouldiing, an active botanist of that city. It was growing in fields and way- sides, thoroughly eftablished. It is native in the West Indies, but nowhere recorded as spontaneous in the United States.

Clerodendrum Siphonanthus, R. Br.-This splendid plaint is sent us from Macon, Ga., by Dr. G. 3M1. Green. He reports that it has propagated itself in and around the gardens of Macon for sev- eral years past, no one knowing, its naine or whence it came. It is a tall perennial, with oblong entire leaves, flowers in whorled cymes, with cup-shaped purple calyx, yellow-orange tubular fuinnel-form corolla 5' or 6' in leng,th, and lonc-exserted stamens (4) and style. It is a mnembet of the Order Verbenace,e, aind native in the East Tnm]ioS A. WOon

? 86. Clitoria lMariana, L.-In, the Flora of the State, Dr. Torrey recoids this beautiful planit as growing " on sandy soil on a bushy hill-side about half a mile from the South Ferry, Brooklvn." Thiis locality has long been swallowed up in the city, and botanists have inl vain searched the neighboring parts of Long Island for another. We are happy to report that it may still be found in the vicinity of New York, thouLgh in -another State. Septembei 23d, 1871, we explored with a friend Little Snake Hill, ana insulated knoll of trap, in the midst of the Hackenisack flats and difficult of access. We found there Solidcago rigida, L., arid the beautiful grass, Mual- enbergia capillaris, K-unth (BULL. Vol. II., ? 68), anid an upright bean-like plant, in fruit, which we car elessly put away as Phaseoias perennis, Walt. We were unacquainted at that time with thefruit of this PhaseoluLs and that of (Clitoria. Recently consullting Dr. Gray aboouLt this extraordinary Phaseolus we were kindly set right. This locality- in our Catalogue, therefore, needs to be corrected. There was a considerable number of plants in one spot. We trnst that those who seek it there will gather it sparincly and help to pre- serve it from extermination. Dr. Torrey describes the seed, "the size of small peas, covered wvith a glutinous kind of varnish, brown, the hiiluim small and roundish." The seeds in onir herbarium seem as glutinous as when they were gatlhered more than four years ago.

ERRATUM.-? 77, for " H. L. Warne," read "1 H. A. Warne."

Tie,t.m-One Dollar per annum beginning with the January number, 12 cents for postage. For the Botanical Directory 30 cents. Supplement to Directory, 10 cents. Vols. I-V., wit/h index, and plhotogr-aph of Dr. Torrey, $3.75. Copies of Constitution and By-Laws of the Club, 25 cents. Address, WM. H. LEGGETT, 224, E. Tenth Street, New York. Money Orders on Station D., P. O., X. Y. All subscriptions or orders tilled only on r-eceipt of the money.

The Club sneets regularly thte last Tuesday ot the monthi in the Herbareai, Columbia College, at 7X2 P. 11. Botanists ar-e tnnijed to attend. DR. THeURaBER, the President of tte Club, recay be found at 245 Br-oadway.

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