xlvi 



LETTERS OF WILLIAM GRIFFITH. 



pels, one seeded at the base, bilobed at the apex, as Emanuel my col- 

 lector, has sent up fruits of one, which appear to me curious 

 enough. What a number of Alangiacese has the Malaccas flora, as 

 you will see, I believe. I have got an idea of most of the enclosed, 

 having looked over them yesterday. 



March 12, 1844. 



I did not send the Malacca wonders, but will do so in a day or two 

 by post. I think I understand them all. My folks have just been to 

 mount Ophir, whence I expect great novelties. You should have re- 

 ceived the Cyrthandracese and Ericineae before this. Your caulescent 

 Podosteraon is very interesting indeed ; it is the first Asiatic one of 

 the kind that has been found, unless Bongard got some in the North 

 of China, all ours are frondiform. Have not you got specimens of 

 Podostemon. Wallichii?. So Kuth has forestalled me in Calaminae, 

 only his 1st vol. is in this library. My paper is nearly through the 

 press : it is long, but as it relates almost entirely to new, or supposed 

 new species, it is right to give minute descriptions, so that the plants 

 cannot well be mistaken. . Most of Roxburghs, and four or five of 

 Hamiltons are out of my power of determination, and Martius gives 

 no help; although his figures are as usual excellent. I meant that 

 Roxburgh introduced 15 species, and catalogued them ; but that now 

 only four remain, or rather two, for two of our present four were not 

 known to Roxburgh. I found one new one here! which I suppose 

 was always mistaken for Calamus hostilis ; a name which I do not 

 adopt. What a host of species of Calamus ! really I believe upwards 

 of 50 will be found in our settlements alone. 



I am now hard at work, lecturing, printing, planning, and above 

 all, occupied with a most interesting microscopical investigation of 

 Azolla, Salvinea and Chara. I trust the results will prove interesting, 

 for they go to make out these three to be the naked seeded orders 

 of Acotyledons. Azolla is most remarkable- Botanists seem quite 

 to have overlooked the real nature of Chara. 



I see my way through this subject, and shall bring it out in the 

 July number. I have been much amused with authors on Azolla 

 and Salvinea, and give a history of both genera. Brown is as usual 

 far in advance. 



