
          You may wish to know something of the vegetation of the Rio Grande
within the range of my travels on it. The timber of the river is 
cottonwood Populus monilifera and one of two species of willow
attain the size of a small tree. These are the only trees I can now
recollect. Mesquit [mesquite] Mesquit Algaribia glandulosa or whatever you botanists 
may eventually decide it shall be abounds in the form of bushes
and a shrub like Prosopis odorata (perhaps Strombocarpus) of
somewhat larger size. A solanaceous shrub with tubular flowers
and reddish-yellow fruit (edible) abounds in patches [added: illegible]. Two sp. [species]
of Baccharis grow in the low bottom in dense patches one
at least becoming shrubby. In a note to [Pl.?] [illegible] page 75 Dr
Gray speaks of Polypappus sericeus. Large patches of a suffructicosa pa[added:l]nt [added: evergreen] answering to the brief description there given abound.
The flowers in outward appearance resemble those of [Conyra?]
A chenopodiaceous shrub with [?] fruit is very common.

These are the principal plants that I am now able to recognize &
meeting them every day they are fresh in my memory. Of the numerous
herbacious plants & grasses I shall say nothing at present leaving
that to my collections. A. sp. of Amorpha is abundant along wet
places in the river bottom attaining a height of eight to twelve
ft. almost a tree. It is the same species that is common in Texas
along streams and I believe is found nearly all over the [illegible].
A sp. [species] of Equisetum grows on sand bars in very large dense
patches attaining a height of 3-6 ft and a diameter of nearly 
half an inch. I collected on a low sand bar a pocketful
of [panicles?] of a low (1-2 ft high) grass killed of course with frost.
I will enclose a panicle.

Enclosed is also a letter for Dr Short. Please despatch it.
I am not certain of his residence or I would have sent it
direct to him.

I remain
very tryly 
Your obt [obedient] sevt [servant]
Charles Wright
        