
          I was probably mistaken, and I was led to the remark by what
I now suppose to be an error of Mr. Nuttall. In his "Genera" he
says of Q. laurifolia that it is "a very doubtful species".
Elliott on the contrary expresses his belief in the species, and 
gives its characters, among them the following: "Leaves of the young
plants toothed and irregularly sinnate." Now of the leaves of
Q. maritima which others describe as entire, Nuttall says 
that they are often "sinnately toothed", and the specimen in 
the Herbarium of the Acad.[Academy] at Phild.[Philadelphia] which Mr. N. has labelled 
as Q. maritima has many of these sinnate leaves, and in 
my view, is Q. laurifolia, such as I see it here every day.
Nuttall carries Nyssa candicans, Mx. (capilata, Walt.)
the "Ogeechee Lime" as far North as Virginia. Elliott and Pursh
more correctly confirm it to the neighbourhood of the Ogeechee
River. Nuttall was perhaps misled by N. grandidentata, Mx. 
which has fruit of the same size, but of a different colour
which does extend to Virginia, and is abundant near New Bern. 
Compare Elliott and Nuttall at Eryngium gracile, Baldw. 
and also at Ilex cassine. I prefer this term to I. "vomitoria,"
which seems to be oddly applied to a plant which is used as
a wholesome and pleasant Tea, as this is by many on the
coast of North Carolina, where it is known by its ancient Indian
appellation of Youpon [Yaupon].

As I have before remarked to you Pinus palustris is so great
a misnomer that it ought to be superseded by Michaux's more
appropriate P. australis. This is the tree which affords the turpentine
and tar of the Southern States, which it yields more 
abundantly than any other tree in the world.

Some years ago Dr. Boykin discovered a new plant, allied to Melothria, 
which Mr. Nuttall there called Boykinia, to which the appropriate
specific name "trispora" was added. Have you seen this plant?
I enclose a seed of it. Also two seeds of the tall Rhamnus, and part
of a raceme of the Andromeda mentioned above.

I remain very truly yours
H.B. Croom

To Dr. John Torrey
        