
          Cambridge, Saturday Evening 
 Sept. 12th 1846. 


 My Dear Doctor


 Your favor of the 5th & 11th inst [instant] came 
 this afternoon. I have lately been at the Gentianeae 
 and have all but finished them. A few hours on Monday 
 I trust will do it. Though judging from a single 
 specimen in your herbm. [herbarium], I think Bigelow's G. [Gentiana] Pneumonanthe,
 with you, is the real European, (Shall ask Oakes
 for more), but what you so call in Fremont's 1st Exped. [Expedition] 
 is clearly G. [Gentiana] affinis, while the G. affinis of that report is 
 a small state of Grisebach's G. Saponaria. 


 Why do you say in Nicolett's Report, p. 155, that 
 you suspect Grisebach's G. Saponaria & Andrewsii are
 not sufficiently distinct species? There surely can be 
 no doubt about that. The question is merely which should 
 retain the Linnaean name. 


 It is odd, about that Dodecatheon dentatum. 
 Pray look to see if you have not a Dodecatheon with
 which the Primula must be the plant not only of Your Report, but
 which is mentioned as characteristic plant in the Narrative. 
 Is it the same plant which Fremont mentions eo nomine
 in 2d Report, as a characteristic early plant of Californian
 Mountains. What make the matter worse, I 
 have seen no plant which accord with Hooker's character, 
 and shall after all be obliged to mention it as a species
 unknown to us unless you can lay hands on the real Simon Puse.
        