My dear Henry
Mr Lambert <1> is very anxious to see you as Dr Spix <2> has repaid him to you for an account of his plants pray call on him when you come to town & ask to see the Flora Grζca <3> it is most beautiful I thought I recognised some Italian plants or at least varieties of what we had seen at Naples.
The Scabiosa pterocephala is very near the Crenata of the Apennines Verbascum spinosum is a most curious plant some interesting species of Convolvulus Campanula Statice Anchusa & Lithospermum He does not know I believe the Ophioglossum lusitanicum I wish you could give him a specimen I met there Dr Richardson <4> of the Franklin expedition <5> who told me that Bechmannia erucζ formis <6> was not the only Southern plant that had been found in their course journey but that several they had brought home had been recognised as Adriatic plants.
Yr Aff
W T H F S
Notes:
1. Aylmer Bourke Lambert (17611842), botanist.
2. Johann Baptist von Spix (17811826), Austrian naturalist who made an important expedition to Brazil, 18171820, with C. F. P. von Martius.
3. John Sibthorp, Flora Graeca: sive Plantarum rariorum historia quas in Provinciis aut insulis Graeciae legit, investigavit, et depingi curavit Johannes Sibthorp. Hic illic etiam insertae sunt pauculae species, quas vir idem clarissimus, Graeciam versus navigans in itinere praesertim apud Italiam et Siciliam, invenerit (London: Richard Taylor, 1806-1840). Published in ten limited and expensive volumes. Based on a late 18th century survey of Greek flora by Sibthorp and Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826), the Austrian botanical illustrator.
4. Sir John Richardson (17871865), arctic explorer & naturalist.
5. Polar expedition 18191822 led by Sir John Franklin (17861847).
6. Bechmannia formis: a grass, frequently spelt with an 'h' but named after Johann Beckmann (1739-1811), a German scientific author.