Buchenau, Fr. 
1872, May 21st 
Bremen, Germany 
TRANSLATION 
Bremen, 21st May 1872 
Dr. G. Engelmann, St. Louis 
Dear Doctor, 
Your letter of 30th January of this year is still before me and reminds me 
of my guilt in not having sent you an answer--which I delayed from day to day 
so that I would really have to tell you something. However, even now it is 
difficult for me to carefully answer all the points you mentioned in your letter 
since my time hardly allows it. 
First, however, many thanks for the letter and the enclosures (J. triformis 
and the diagrams of Echinodorus). -- Unfortunately, the seeds of Sagittaria 
calycina did not germinate here, even after several trials. Is it possible that they 
lose the capability to germinate so quickly outside water? 
The sketch of Echinodorus probably proves that it would not be good to 
make a species division between Echinodorus and ? and those with spiral stamens. 
I shall see whether the conception of the arrangement of the spirals is not based 
on an error, Since also these things develop probably from three originally 
simple arrangements by splitting. 
Your Juncus triformis deficiens is--most shocking!. (The last two words 
were written/English and underlined with red pencil, probably by Engelmann. C.L.) 
My little specimen unfortunately did not contain any seeds any more in the 
capsules. Had you not written explicitly that you took out the seeds from the 
capsules yourself from both species, I should have believed there was a mix-up«. 
Ihe newest among the German rushes is Juncus sphaerocarpus from Weimar, 
a thing which by its extraordinary branches, almost bulby lobes is wery different 
from J. buf, but in a peculiar way growths in the rows of J. buf. and only in 
such places, so that one is inclined to believe that we may deal here with a 
newly developed species from J. bufonis. Grown before our eyes, interwoven 
with the mother form and also connected through some crossings (bastards?) with 
one another and still an enigma!-- You will receive it soon. 
I did not have much time for collecting during the last two years. My 
office with all its many other businesses takes up more and more of my time and 
only when the school will be divided (in 1 - 1-1/2 years) may I expect some rest.-- 
I am often occupied with the work on the plants brought back from the 2nd German 
= z ne . 
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