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Correspondence of Rhoda Waterbury and
G. W. Clinton |
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Correspondence of Rhoda Waterbury and G. W. Clinton 1865 - 1867 Edited
by P. M. P.O. Box 299, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, 63166‑0299;
and Research Associate, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo, New York, 14204.
Email: mailto:patricia.eckel@mobot.org June 1865 Vol.
1. 37. I 190 Schoharie
June 10th [18]65 Mr.
Clinton, Yours
of June 2nd is before me. I am sure it is quite fortunate for you that I am
not in your vicinity this summer as a letter even once a week is not half so
annoying as the actual presence of an inquisitive individual. On
the receipt of yours I took a tramp with the hope of finding a tardy blossom
of Uvularia perfoliata but without success, though I have several spec. in
fruit, and one or two already in press in blossom though not as good as I
desired. I shall preserve them for you. The past two weeks I have spent
almost entirely on the Mosses with what success I shall leave you to judge for
I intend to trouble you with the list and as they can be so readily sent by mail I wish
to forward to you a specimen of each that you may compare them with those you
may already have, as I do not feel quite positive in regard to all of them,
and my glass is not of sufficient power to determine the more minute parts of
some of them, and I think it is impossible to study them with the naked eyes.
I send you what I take to be three different varieties of Polytrichum though
I may not be correct, one from its extreme length of stem may be var.
strictum, of one the capsule is horizontal and seems fo... four sided. I
called it commune, the other formosum. These are so large I think you will
have no difficulty in examining them and I am quite anxious to know if I have
blundered on them. The
Hepaticae I mentioned is Mastigobryum deflexum I think without doubt, though
it is not in fruit. I will send some of it. I hope the Polytrichum will not
lose its caps [= calyptrae] before it reaches you. I have had great trouble
to keep them on since I brought them in doors. I find the mosses as
fascinating as a new problem and quite as difficult which adds to the charm
and when I have really mastered one I have the elevated sensation as after
having solved a problem in Algebra. Among the plants you sent me are three
varieties of Osmunda. A fourth I already had. I found it in a swamp just
north of Lewiston Academy several years ago and never named it until now. As
it differs from those you sent I have given it the remaining name, var.
spectabilis. As you spoke of botanizing in that vicinity I thought perhaps
you lacked that and might obtain it. Hoping
to hear from you again soon I
remain as before your
disciple Rhoda
Waterbury Hon.
G. W. Clinton
There is no specimen of fern collected by
Rhoda at BUF. (Liverworts in Marchantiaceae) Mastigobryum
deflexum (Mart.) Ångstr = Bazzania tricrenata (Wahlenb.) Lindb.;
Mastigobryum trilobatum (L.) Nees = Bazzania trilobata (L.) Gray. There is a specimen in the Clinton Herbarium
(BUF) of Uvularia perfoliata L. “USA New York Schoharie Co., Schoharie.
Rhoda M. Waterbury [1860’s] Herbarium number: 7309. From Albany, June 15th 1865, Peck wrote
Clinton: “My Dear Sir, Yours of the 14th inst. was received this
morning. I return “No. 10 June 10th”; also the Bartramia
mentioned but regret that through my carelessness in leaving it exposed the
roaches got at it and devoured all the capsules. I send a specimen to supply
its place so far as possible. The specimens from Miss Rhoda Waterbury are
Dicranum undulatum Brid., Bryum roseum Schreb. and Hypnum delicatulum L. Of
the remainder of her specimens mentioned none are new to me except
Mastigobryum deflexum. This I have never met with, although Mastigobryum
trilobatum is very common here. If you will send it, I will look at it and
return it.” On July 31st 1865, Charles Peck wrote to
Clinton: “I think I have some new things from the Catskills but have
not yet examined all my specimens. I send Mastigobryum deflexum for which
Miss. Waterbury mistook M. trilobum.” A Lewiston High School Academy existed in
Lewiston, Niagara Co. but was extinct by April of 1828 (French, 1860 Gazeteer
of New York State). Perhaps the reference was to an institution in nearby
Lewis County. But see the letter of July 15 below - this academy was perhaps
one of those built on speculation in The three “varieties” of Osmunda,
by which Rhoda probably meant “kinds,” were O. cinnamomea L., the
Cinnamon-fern, O. claytoniana L., Interrupted Fern, and O. regalis L., Royal
Fern. Osmunda spectabilis Willd. has been joined with O. regalis: O. regalis
var. spectabilis (Willd.) A. Gray. In this letter Rhoda hints at the possibility
of her visiting Vol.
1. 56. I 169 Schoharie
June 22d 1865 Mr.
Clinton Yours
of the 19th has just reached me and I hasten to reply as you express fears
that we have missed Polemonium coeruleum for this season. I hope you are not
correct this time. When P. reptans was in blossom I examined Dr. Howe’s
description of coeruleum with special reference to the time of blossoming and
found it to be July & August, and as my time was completely occupied
until the first of July, I have made arrangements to visit Charlotteville
about the 12th, so if he is correct I shall yet be in season. Many thanks for
the new plant, and now I must give myself the pleasure of sending to you some
of my minute friends and let me say I think Mr. Peck will find I am correct
in regard to Mastigobrym deflexum as the dorsal margin is arched and it grew
upon a rock exactly, very much to my surprise. Your suggestion in regard to the
assistance of Mr. Peck pleases me very much, if he will have the kindness
& leisure to do so. I have two other specimens of Hepaticae that I shall
send you, the smaller one if placed in water for a few moments and examined
with not a very powerful glass will show a profusion of flowers or fruit, I
hardly know which to call them, the other had several of the bald capsules
when I found it but I think they have all cast off in pressing, as I cannot
find them. I feel a special affection for my wee wee moss and I think I have
named it correctly, and the one I have named Rhabdoweisia is a beauty under
the glass. I have also collected Rhus toxicodendron, Galium asprellum, &
G. var. tinctorium, Diervilla
trifida. I
shall anxiously await your next. Your
disciple Rhoda
Waterbury G.
W. Clinton Recd.
June 24 & ansd.
In this letter it appears that Rhoda had sent
her material to Clinton first for identification and he passed them forward
to Peck. She is referring to Clinton’s suggestion that Rhoda write
directly to Peck regarding her specimens. The Rhabdoweisia was identified by Peck later
as Bartramia Oederi (see letter of July 6th, 1865). Polemoniumm coeruleum Gray, not L. =
Polemonium van-bruntiae Britt. In Gray’s Manual, 5th Ed., Polemonium
caeruleum L. [sic] grows in “Swamps, about the sources of the
Susquehanna, New York: East of Charlottesville, Schoharie Co., Dr. E. C.
Howe. ... Head of Little Lakes, Warren, Herkimer Co., G. W. Clinton ... July
(p. 371). Gray indicates it was a European species, but “Wild far
northwestward.” 1867 (1868). In Fernald’s 1950 edition of
Gray’s Manual (ed. 8), P. caeruleum L. is “Spread from cult. to
roadsides and waste places, e. Placing mosses and liverworts in water, better
hot water, permits them to exhibit one of their nicest habits,
that of swelling up and appearing just as new and fresh as if just
picked from the hillside. They are seldom attacked by insects in the
herbarium, as vascular plants are prone to be, and so are easily and cleanly
maintained in a collection. They are easy to study in the sense that they are
revived in shape with the application of water. Their capsules, however, may
be attacked by insects or fungi, but more often only in the field. Charlotteville was a postal village in the
township of Summit, Schoharie Co., which has a surface composed of “a
broken and hilly upland. The central ridge forms a portion of the watershed
between Susquehanna and Mohawk Rivers, the highest summits being 2,000 to
2,300 ft. above tide.” (French p. 607). Charlotteville lay upon the
Charlotte River. It had grist and sawmills and one of the largest seminary
and collegiate institutes in the state. This river is a branch of the
Susquehanna and has its source “in a marsh called the Vlaie.”
(French p. 600).] Elliot Calvin Howe (1828-1899), by his
correspondence, was a good friend of Charles Peck. Howe also corresponded
with George Clinton, who appears to have introduced him to Peck (see portion
of letter below). Howe lived for a time in Fort Edward in Washington County,
New York, and taught there at “The Washington Co. Seminary and Female
Collegiate Institute, one of the largest academic institutions in the State,
[which] is located at this village.” French p. 682. Clinton would also
suggest that Howe communicate his moss specimens to Peck: Howe wrote:
Fort Edward, N.Y., Dec. 30, 1865 Hon. G. W. Clinton:
Dear Sir inasmuch as I am greatly indebted to you for a rare pleasure
during the past few months, I take this occasion to make my acknowledgements,
and thank you for referring me to Mr. Peck as a guide in determining mosses.
I had already succeeded in making out the simpler species, as in Dicranum,
Polytrichum, Atrichum, Thelia, and in Leucobryum and partly in Bryum, Mnium
and Leskea, and perhaps in others; but Hypnum I found to be a puzzler, and in
this genus especially has Mr. Peck afforded great assistance.” On June 26, 1865 Charles Peck wrote to
Clinton: “If Miss Waterbury has Seligeria
tristicha and Leucobryum minus from this state they will constitute two
additional species for N.Y. Rhabdoweisia angulata I suppose to be intended
for R. denticulata. The others in her list are very common. Should you find 16 & 17 in fruit I would
like to examine it again. I think I must write to Yours truly Charles H. Peck Judge G. W. Clinton Received June 28, 1865 Leucobryum vulgare var. minus Hampe, and L. minus
of Sullivant and Lesquereux’ Musci Boreali Americani ed. 1 is today
Leucobryum albidum (Brid.) Lindb. Seligeria tristicha is Seligeria
tristichoides Kindb. The former grows on the ground, especially associated
with old rotted tree boles, the latter on calcareous rock, cliffs and
boulders. The Seligeria is rare. Both, as the next letter indicates, were
misidentified. |
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Sullivant’s Plate 2 |
