Description

Ferguson writes a hurried line to catch the mail. He has sent Hooker, via his daughter Mrs Thompson, a small packet of two or three forms of Geniosporum prostratum collected at Trincomalie [Trincomalee], and some specimens of a Balsam from the coast near Trincomalie, which he could not match with any in the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA. He also sent a small packet of Ceylon [Sri Lanka] Hydroida for Professor Allman and hopes they will interest him. Ferguson collected them several years ago with his algae. Dr Trimen has made a nice drawing of the real Rhinanthus indica [indicus], in FLORA ZEYLANICA number 238 and Hermann Herbarium in the British Museum. He examined the latter in 1857 with Brown and Bennett[?], when he had the pleasure of meeting Hooker at a meeting of the Linnean Society. The plant is most undoubtedly the Centranthera procumbens, FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA, 4, 301, and is certainly not the Geniosporum elongatum erroneously quoted by Hooker in the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA, 4, 610. Ferguson will write Hooker an article for publication on the subject, with the drawings of the Centranthera. He thinks it is curious that he is the first and only one who has identified the plant in the Hermann Herbarium and the FLORA ZEYLANICA. He is very anxious to see the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA continued. When at Trincomalie [Trincomalee] from December to January last, he added Cordia subcordata, Arundinella stricta and some other plants to their Ceylon flora. He will write by the next mail. Annotated. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.

Description

Ferguson writes a hurried line to catch the mail. He has sent Hooker, via his daughter Mrs Thompson, a small packet of two or three forms of Geniosporum prostratum collected at Trincomalie [Trincomalee], and some specimens of a Balsam from the coast near Trincomalie, which he could not match with any in the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA. He also sent a small packet of Ceylon [Sri Lanka] Hydroida for Professor Allman and hopes they will interest him. Ferguson collected them several years ago with his algae. Dr Trimen has made a nice drawing of the real Rhinanthus indica [indicus], in FLORA ZEYLANICA number 238 and Hermann Herbarium in the British Museum. He examined the latter in 1857 with Brown and Bennett[?], when he had the pleasure of meeting Hooker at a meeting of the Linnean Society. The plant is most undoubtedly the Centranthera procumbens, FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA, 4, 301, and is certainly not the Geniosporum elongatum erroneously quoted by Hooker in the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA, 4, 610. Ferguson will write Hooker an article for publication on the subject, with the drawings of the Centranthera. He thinks it is curious that he is the first and only one who has identified the plant in the Hermann Herbarium and the FLORA ZEYLANICA. He is very anxious to see the FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA continued. When at Trincomalie [Trincomalee] from December to January last, he added Cordia subcordata, Arundinella stricta and some other plants to their Ceylon flora. He will write by the next mail. Annotated. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.