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LETTERS OF WILLIAM GRIFFITH. 



To-morrow I go through Arenga, of which I have two, and then 

 to Arecina, of which I have fifteen or sixteen. Bentiackia is mis- 

 placed by Prof. Martins, I think ; it is evidently Arecina. 

 But one loses so much by not printing oneself. 



I have just got a magnificient female head of a Cycas from Jen- 

 kins, Cycas pectinata of Hamilton, but not well described by him, 

 this will be part of the Century of New Plants I am preparing for 

 publishing in the Journal. 



Bot. Garden, June 11, 1844. 



1 have two letters of yours to answer, one incloses a Salvinia ? 

 but I take it to be rather an Utricularia out of flower. There is 

 a very curious Aroideous plant something like it, but sundry appen- 

 dages makes me suspect it to be Utricularia. 



The Calamus is new, and I intend naming it in allusion to the 

 brown fruit. Thanks for the drawing. The little Eria must be a 

 beautiful plant. The Sarcanthus I have not examined, nor the Acan- 

 thacea, in fact I am constantly occupied on a report, and making 

 plans of the improvements. I see in looking over your letters, that 

 you say, the large leaved palm has pinnate leaves, but of what shape 

 are they, and how incised, as Wallichia, Caryota, Arenga, to which 

 it comes close, are all distinguishable by the shape of the pinnae. I 

 have not got the 2nd vol. of the Icones, so cannot look at Weinman- 

 nia, but judging from books, the Cunoniaceo-Rhamnea, is a new ge- 

 nus, and a funny one too. However, genera are often so loosely de- 

 fined, that we should never rely on any thing but self knowledge 

 derived from nature. Check every thing by it. If ever you come 

 across dwarf Phsenices look at the inflorescence etc. there is 

 one besides P. acanlis which has the fruit spadix exserted, 

 whereas in acaulis vera it is immersed among the bases of the leaves. 

 Thanks for the returned list, you will laugh when you see the Jour- 

 nal. I have told McCleland of your not having got the last number. 



I have some great things in embyo regarding Cycadeae, but 

 Wallich's return will knock my observations on the head, I am just 

 now impregnating them, Roxburghs C. sphterica is a true species. 

 My Assam one is I suspect Hamiltons C. pectinata. 



We are both cast off" by our English correspondents : I attribute it 



