
          Augusta Hancock Co. Illinois June 24 1845

My Dear Sir,

Enclosed I send a piece of a plant 
I found in Mason Co. Illinois on 17th inst. [instant] which I think is a 
Hymenopappus corymbosus? the involucre was not spreading 
much, perhaps more as the flowers develop themselves more 
fully. Grows 2 to 3 feet high in sandy barrens (& I saw it near 
Beardstown). I found several other rare things, the beautiful 
Erysimum arkansanum abundant in flower still, keeps 
in flower from May or April on the sand ridges is open prairies 
it is much earlier. I found also in flower, Chrysopsis 
villosa, Coreopsis lanceolata? Cactus opuntia in sand, Commelina 
& [etc?], Astragalus pachycarpus?

I have sent you several things in letters before from which 
I have not heard, viz. 1844, Nov. 22d, a grass, 1845 Ap. 28th, Cherophyllum [Chaerophyllum] 
procumbens, May 26th Carex meadii & C. richardsonii. [Carex richardsonii]

Mr. Holton is collecting plants largely this season 
Haas got him a press very convenient for a travelling 
botanist. It is a very small compass & works 
well.

Please write as soon as convenient. 
I could supply many rare plants in exchange 
for other rare foreign ones & if you know of 
any European botanist  who wishes to get plants 
from this quarter, you can say to him that I can 
probably send him a good return for any 
rare plants he chooses to send. I have only 
about one thousand species of European plants.

Yours very truly
S B Mead
        