Norwich news, including movements of [Thomas] Woodward and [James] Crowe. [John] Lightfoot thinks 'Clathrus flavus' is 'Mucor sphaerocephalus' and calls Woodward's 'Byssus' a 'Helvella polymorpha', it is not in [John] Ray's ["Synopsis methodica"] but is close to a figure in Schaeffer ["Descripto fungorum"]. According to Lightfoot the best collection of fungi is that of [Johann Jacob] Dillenius at Oxford. Crowe found 'Monotropa hypopitys' at Bracon, [Lincolnshire], and received 'Helvella planus' from [Henry] Bryant. Mr Humphrey found 'Agaricus quercinus'.

Does not think botany is essential to medical education beyond knowing which plants are used in medicine. Botanical discoveries: Sir Joseph Banks and [Daniel] Solander call Smith's 'Lichen miniatus' 'L. deustus'; [James] Crowe and [James] Dickson found 30 new cryptogamic species in Norfolk including two 'Pezizas' and a Jungermannia called 'hypnoides'; [Henry] Bryant found Dillenius' 'Sphaerocephalus terrestris minimus'; [Robert] Stone of Bungay [(d 1829)] discovered 'Hydnum imbricatum' and 'Lycoperdon coliforme'; description of a 'Fungus pulverulentus [...]' Ray "Synopsis methodica" 28.12. Discussion of plants: has not seen 'Lichen pullus' or 'Fucus palmatus'; Crowe's 'Lichen horizaontalis'; mistook 'Lichen parellus' for 'Lichen pertusus'; discoveries of 'Helvella caryophyllaea', 'Lichen miniatus', 'Boletus lucidus'; hopes to send 'Agaricus quercinus', 'Agaricus betulinus', and 'Boletus fomentarius'. Young [Carl] Linnaeus [(1741-1783)] is in London, has stopped his publication plans on account of Banks' 40,000 discoveries [possibly Australian plants].

Discusses the decocting of "red bark", possibly for agues: [William] Withering uses 'Salix alba', Smith recommends 'Salix myrsinites'. [John] Lightfoot says the 'Fontinalis pennata' Smith found is 'Hypnum complanatum'. Discussion of lichens: does not believe Smith's two 'Lichen parellus' specimens are distinct; agrees with 'L. pertusus'; Smith's 'L. gelidus' accords with Hudson ["Flora Anglica"] but does not think it distinct from 'L. ventosus'; mistakenly called 'L. fluviatilis' 'L. vivularis'; requests 'L. vespertilis', 'L. marginalis', and 'L. sylvaticus'; London botanists wrong about 'L. cristatus' and 'L. crispus', errors with Dillenius' plate of it; requests 'L. vernalis' of Lightfoot and 'L. fernugineus' of Hudson; Lightfoot's 'L. aurantiacus' is Hudson's 'L. ferrugineus' and not 'L. flavo-rubescens'; unsure what Lightfoot's 'L. vernalis' is in Hudson.

Discovery of 'Sphaeria' Micheli ["Plantarum genera"] Pl.104 Tab.55, sends drawing, discusses how it has been universally found growing parasitically on 'Lycoperdon cervinum', possibility of Linnaeus confounding 'Lycoperdon cervinum' with 'Lycoperdon spadiceum', believes they may have been first to disover the true 'L. cervinum' in England.

Received a 'Lichen fuliginosus' of [James] Dickson and a 'Lichen croceus' which accords to [John Lightfoot's] "Fl[ora] Scot[ica]", asks Smith to compare his specimens. Reviews James Bolton's "History of English Ferns", highlights errors with 'Polypodium aculeatum', 'Polypodium fragrans', 'Polypodium [thelypteris]', 'Polypodium lobatum'. Asks Smith's opinion of [Anders] Spaarman's "Voyage to the Cape". Asks likelihood of a good herbarium selling for between £20 and £50 at an auction such as the Duchess of Portland's. 'Phallus caninus' and 'Peziza stipitata' found.

Thanks Smith for naming foreign plants he sent, including 'Geranium cicutarium', explains his errors in determining them himself, including: 'Arenaria'; reasons for disputing what Smith named 'Galium pusillum'; uncertain if 'Dianthus rupestris' is not 'Dianthus caryophyllus'; disappointed that Smith has rejected [James] Crowe's 'Rubus [corylifolius]' as a distinct species on [Richard] Salisbury's belief that it is a variety of 'Rubus fruticosos'. Sends regards to [Samuel] Goodenough and [Robert] Batty. The Forsters convinced that [Pitchford's] 'Chenopodium album' and 'Chenopodium viride' are distinct. Crowe growing 'Poa angustifolia' and 'Poa nemoralis'. Observes how different the foreign 'Asperula cynanchica' is from the English one.