Boissier, E. Rec. Rome Jan 14, 1869 Ans. Berlin. May 31 
Valeynes, Dec. 12, 1868 
My Dear Mr. Engelmann, 
| have to tell you that | have been delayed, because we spent some time, my family and 
| bathing in the sea at Bordeaux, and then went to the Pyrenees. When I returned | 
found your letter and saw that | had lost the fine occasion of seeing you and shaking 
your hand after so many years and the opportunity to ask you many things. Happily you 
mention that perhaps you will return to Geneva, next year andifitis in the spring | Will 
definitely go to Geneva or will be here later on. | have received your Juncorum 
Herbarium Normale and | see that a simple inspection of samples tell me how difficult 
this gender is, because the stem of several of these species is the same and even the 
seeds look very much alike. It has been a long time since 1 have been in Geneva. | plan 
to return and will probably find your work on the Juncus that you had promised me and 
for which 1 thank you in advance. | will also take your Euphorbia that ! had forgotten. 
Since the publication of the Prodromus 1! have not had the occasion to review this 
gender. | will profit from your permission to take a sample and return the rest to you if 
you come. 
| would like to send you something but | only have plants from the Orient. 
| was interested to learn that you like the Isoetes. For the first time of my life, this 
summer, | had the opportunity to collect living plants of this unusual gender, namely, the 
Isoetes lacustris and echinospora that you found in abundance in the Lakes of Guery 
and Auvergne, with Mr. Reuter. | will send some to you which | hope will be interesting. 
My friend Mr. Reuter thought he had understood that you would be in Italy during the 
winter. | wish to compliment you in trying to avoid our ugly winter here. Since the first of 
November we where in Switzerland for the snow but it was only very cold and we were 
surrounded by fog. Our friend Mr. Gray must be in Egypt. | believe he said that he 
wanted to spend the winter there. | have several friends that do the same. 
| am always very busy with the Flora Orientalis that takes up much of my time. There 
are some large genders that are difficult and for which | am going to make a 
monographic study. But | have to hurry because the materials have a short life. 
The Ambilliforme give me much trouble as the samples are incomplete and because 
they to not produce fruit. Therefore one can only classify them with difficulty. Then there 
is the question of gender which is always very difficult in a family that is so wild. 
Last summer | received from Mr Sulander a very beautiful collection of plants from 
California. Unfortunately the majority of the specimen were not labeled. What a 
magnificent flora exists in the mountains of California, and how many species grow only 
as ornamental plants.! When will our friend Asa Gray begin writing about the Flora of the 
United States? It is work that is indispensable because of multitude of species that have 
been discovered and described in the past years. 
My dear Mr. Engelmann, please give me some news from you. | hope | can see you 
again in Geneva. | am still sorry at not having been able to see you. During the spring 
and winter | am usually here. 
Again | send you my best wishes. 
E. Boissier. translation. Manfred Thurmann 
% 
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 MISSOURI 
| | BOTANICAL 
copyright reserved NE 
