7, 30.] TO W. J. HOOKER. 279 
and Californian Composite which Douglas did not get 
(and he failed to meet with many of Douglas’s), and 
others in the States; as Pyrrocoma with rays. Nuttall 
ought to send all these to you. . . . I know with con- 
siderable accuracy what plants (Composite) are de- 
siderata with you; and | will take the liberty of 
writing at once to Nuttall, and asking for such in 
your name. I shall ask for about one hundred Com- 
positze, and will extend the order to other plants if 
you desire it. He has, however, distributed nothing 
beyond Composite. Pray let me know at once if 1 
have done rightly in this. . . . 
mong Drummond’s Louisiana plants is the rarest 
of all United States Composite, Stokesia cyanea. It 
was pointed out tome by Arnott (J anuary, 1839), but 
I have just examined Greene’s specimens. » as 
New York, 20th May, 1841. 
I have diligently labored about four months at As- 
ter, in which, as I have after all not satisfied myself, 
I can scarcely hope to satisfy others; but I do think 
I have laid a foundation for the student of the species 
in their wild state. We had very copious materials, 
but could have done little in comparison without the 
aid of your collection, for which we cannot be too 
grateful. Jam now occupied with Solidago, which is 
difficult enough, no doubt, but not to be compared 
with Aster in this respect, partly because there are 
fewer species, and the synonymy much less involved, 
but chietly because there are few in cultivation. 
We rejoice to hear that Joseph and the Antarctic 
Expedition are getting on so well. : 
No further tidings of the steamship President! We 
have not until now surrendered all hope. One of the 
