Carl Purpus, Plant
Collector in Western America Transcribed by Barbara Ertter
| Carl Purpus, Plant
Collector in Western America | Letters of Carl A. Purpus -- 1901 |
| Transcribed by Barbara Ertter | |
 
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1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907 | |
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Locations: Miraflores. San Jose del Cabo. Todos Santos. |
Carl A. Purpus to Katharine Brandegee, 1/5/1901
[1901 Jan 05: 26] San Jose' del Cabo 1/5/1901 Dear Mrs. Brandegee! I have been in the Taste region again and found Your Composite in full bloom. It is a very nice little tree covered with flowers, which are allmost white. I hope to obtain seeds for Your garden. I am going to Miraflores next week and from there into the ?eria to collect and to see Palma negra, which may be a new species of Washingtonia. Did You know, that there is a Cereus Pringlei growing here, which has a rose red fruit? I mean to say, that the spines are beautyful rose red. I also have found, that there is a Cereus growing about here, which I think is a hyrbird between C. Pringlei and Pectenn Ab. I will send You fruit and a cutting. I also send You a cutting of that Cereus, which may be geometrizana, as it is not C. Cochal. My brother writes "as soon as Paris and Edinburgh have paid their bills I send the money -- over 600 Marks -- to Mr. Brandegee". He also writes, that the directer of Kew-Garden has [fragment missing] ium Purpusi determined as E. petiolaris. I find such an arroganz intolerable. Mr. Brandegee knows the flora of Lower Calif. much better than ?Dyselto ?Dyou does. Pitaya de ?CaCosta is in bloom just now. It is a beautyful purpule flower, and so much different from that of C. Th? that I think it must be a distinct species under all circumstances. I will send You also flowers and fruit also a cutting, so You may see Yourself. It is still very dry here and not much botanizing until after the rain. I am still after the Rhamnus. I will make a trip from Miraflores to Todos Santos to get it. I have got a letter from M. Barrows. I am sorry, that he has given up Cacti, but I think he is right. I hope You have received the tubers of that Martynia?. Very sincerely Yours C. A. Purpus N.b. I forgot to write You, that I have found a very stout and long spined form of C. pensilis? hanging from rocks on Taste it was in bloom. The flower is dark mennigrot (red) I don't know what mennige is in English. It is a kind of a color made out of lead. I send You cutting with flower. | |
| Carl A. Purpus to Katharine Brandegee, 2/28/1901
[1901 Feb 28: 27] San Jose' del Cabo 28/II 1901 Dear Mrs. Brandegee! Your letter is at hand, also the papers and magazines. First I have to write
Your, that I am surprised about all the news You wrote me. I expect Mr. Barrows
will give up Cactus. I would like to hear your niece sing once, perhpas I will
have the pleasure coming back to San Diego. I have sent You the two new Cacti (Mamill) I have found lately. I expect You
will get them allright. They are very poor specimens, but, as they have been in
fruit I concluded to send those -- I do not know if I spell send right or not --
That composite tree I have not found yet neither the Rhamnus, because I was to
busy collecting Cacti, but it is plenty time yet. You may be sure, that I will
send you specimens. I am going to San Felipe next week to camp there on the
rancho Solgado, from there I take in the whole Taste region Serro brieta etc.
It is nothing around here, because we had very little rain, but it rained in the
Mountains; especially east of Pico San Lazaro. I did not collect much lately,
because I am to busy packing Cacti and drugs. Dr. Hoyl finds poisons in Mamill.
Roseana, C. Emoryi and M. tetrancistra. It is very important, I have orders for
all. If Mr. Barrows would stay in San Diego, he might fill out that of C.
Emoryi. I am going to Mazatlan, possibly next month and from there to Tepic and
Colima to collect on that volcano there. I speak already a little espanol and
understand some too. What Hybrids do You mean? There is a Pitaya dela Costa growing near a place
called "Palmilla". Mr. Brandegee knows it. This Cereus is not a form of C.
Thurberi but a hybrid of C. Thurberi and C. gumamansn as far as I can see. Tell Mr. Brandegee that I have been at a typical mexican dance last night,
or course I was only a spectator. I expect Mr. Brandegee will be shocked. The scoundrel Orcutt is going through a half a dozen states to collect Cacti,
he also comes to Baja Calif. as it says in Cacteen Kunde. He sends his Cacti to
Belgium now; as he has played out in this country. I am going to San Felipe on Wednesday. There is a beetle collector here from New York. He has a letter of
introduction to Eisens favorite Froilan and two pair of shoes for him too. I guess that main Eisen is crazy, otherwise he would nobody give letters to
such a man as Froilan. You may be sure, that I send You everything You wish to have. Sincerely Yours C. A. Purpus Please tell me the name of that Cariba a plant with has stinging haris like
a nettle and also of the golden yellow ?Tromape.
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[Home Page] Date and time this article was prepared: 6/7/2002 7:33:39 PM | ||