BT. 43.] TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 409 
consider, and no very pat name at once applicable 
both to the species and the discoverer occurs to me. 
“Thurberia palmata” might pass, and would angli- 
cize into “the handy Thurber,? but then the end 
has only three fingers. 
“'T. tridactyla ” would meet this ; but only birds are 
tridactylous ; besides, the uppermost leaves are entire. 
Taking another tack, from its smoothness, we might 
say, T. glabra or T. levis; or, as I believe you have 
not a strong beard, T. imberbis. But, on the whole, 
perhaps it mill be as well to indicate merely the 
nearest eines of the genus, and eall it “Thurberia 
thespesioides,” as it is nearest Thespesia. Take your 
choice, though, of any of the above, to which add “ T. 
rosea,” if the color of the flower warrants that name. 
TO A, DE CANDOLLE. 
CaMBRIDGE, June 1, 1854. 
My pear Frienp, — It was with great pleasure 
that I received from you, two days ago, your letter of 
the 2d May. I counted myself your debtor, although, 
indeed, my last letter of 18th October is of later date 
than yours of the 1st October, which it crossed on the 
ocean, and I was only waiting until I could announce 
a small envoi to you, namely, that of a copy of the 
1st volume of the “ Botany of the United States Ex- 
ploring Expedition in the South Seas,” which has been 
more than a year in printing. This 4th volume C77 
pages) is at length happily printed off, and just in 
time, too, for sending you a copy (unbound, direct 
from the printing-office at Philadelphia) in the an- 
nual envoi of the Smithsonian Institution. 
The atlas, of 100 plates in folio, which should ac- 
company this volume, is by no means ready, owing 
