From G. A. W. Arnott   13 May 1830

My dear Sir

Many thanks for your kind letter of the 7 ^th April. I expected before this time to have answered it in a more substantial way than by a letter; but for this month past I have been over head and ears among Algae and Salices, and I fear to begin any thing else before I complete my labour, and ere long I must go to Glasgow to work for a short while with my friend Hooker, and go with him to the Highlands: I scarcely intended to have accompanied him this season having too much to do at home but having primed myself on the willows, I wish to explore on the Breadalbane range, and not allow my hardgained knowledge to pass with vapour which certainly would happen if I postponed till another year. But I dare say you will have no objections to a few of our Highland species if I can name them, for I don’t think our friend Graham has any wish to interfere with me on that head. out a catalogue further than by saying that excepting the plants found in Scotland I am extensively deficient in British specimens

Upon looking at your list of desiderata of Salix there are I think a few that I shall be able to give you - and in return I would have no objections to receive a few complete specimens of S. triandra, S. pentandra in fruit, S. fragilis, S. helix, and what you find as S. repens, all of which I see you don't wish to have sent you. With regard to S. fragilis and Russelliana, I almost expect a hoax. What I find about Edinburgh has all narrow leaves and therefore ought to be S. Russelliana. When it grows in a very wet place it is not fragile, but when in a dry place the branches break at the axils at the slightest touch, and all intermediate states of brittleness are to be observed. My observations reduce the species in Smith to about 40! And of these there are several that must have been introduced and are no more strictly indigenous than Mimulus guttatus which is now abundant in many places away from houses.

Some of your desiderata of other plants I hope to be able to give you but I might do it more easily were foreign specimens to be accepted.

With regard to your kind offer to (supply?) me specimens of such I require to complete my British series, I feel excessively obliged to you. I scarcely know however how to mark out a catalogue, further than by saying that excepting the plants found in Scotland I am extremely deficient in British specimens. A few I may point out: Thalictrum minus in flower and fruit!!! (I suspect the characteristic plant is very different from the Scotch one, which last may be a var. of Th. majus), Anemone pulsatilla, Ranunculus hirsutus, arvensis & parviflorus; Delphinium consolida. Papaver hybridum!!, Nasturtium (all but No. 1), Camelina sativa, Isatis tinctoria, Brassica rapa, napus. Sinapis nigra, alba, Viola flavicornis, lactea, Saponaria officinalis, Arenaria tenuifolia, Cerastium semidecandrum! (what new race in Scotland has the capsule not longer than the calyx, and is a var. of C. tetrandrum). Linum perenne, Medicago minima!, Trifolium ochroleucum, subterraneum, Ervum tetraspermum!, Poterium sanguisorba, Sanguisorba officinalis, Pyrus torminalis, communis & malus (wild specimens). Myriophyllum verticillatum, Callitriche autumnalis of your Cat.e. Ceratophyllum demersum in fruit. Lythrum hyssopifolium,Sedum sexangulare, Caucalis daucoides and latifolia, Torilis infesta!!, Pastinaca sativa, fruit & flower, Bupleurum tenuissimum!! and rotundifolium, Pimpinella magna, Sium latifolium!!, Sison amomum, Oenanthe No. 1, 3, 4. Galium palustre!, erectum! , and tricorne! Cineraria 1 & 2. Inula (all), Gnaphalium luteoalbum, Matricaria chamomilla!, Carduus acanthoides, Cnicus pratensis & eriophorus, Centaurea solstitialis & calcitrapa,Sochus palustris!!, Lactuca 2 & 3, Chondrilla mur., Barkhausia foetida, Helminthia echioides, Hieracium murorum and sabaudum & umbellatum of your Cat.e., Hypochoeris 1 & 3; Prismatocarpus hybridus, Monotropa hypopytis!!, Erythraea pulchella (a few specimens), Cuscuta (both - for I suspect we have 3 species in Britain), Myosotis arvensis of Cambridgesh., Linaria 3 & 6, the varieties. Limosella aquatica!, Orobanche elatior, minor; Melampyrum crist., Teucrium scordium, Mentha 2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13; Lysimachia 3; Centunculus min.!!, Statice reticulata!, & limonium: Chenopodium and Atriplex, all of them if named and in fruit: Rumex 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 (this genus I do not understand). Thesium linophylla. Euphorbia 3 and varieties, 13: Hydrocharis morsus-ranae; Butomus (for it is not wild in Scotland and is now extirpated). Potamogeton compressum (the true one), and pusillum; Orchis ustulata, pyramidata: Herminium monorchis; Ophrys apifera! and aranifera!!; Neottia spiralis; Epipactis palustris; Malaxis loeselii & paludosa; Ruscus aculeatus in fruit. Ornithogalum pyren. Allium oleraceum; Colchicum aut. Juncus 8; Acorus calamus!;Typha angustifolia, Sparganium simplex: Cladium mariscus!, Eleocharis multicaulis (I have not yet found it). Blysmus compressus ( a few specimens); Carex 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 42, 48B, 50, 52, 53, 54, 56 if named and in good state. Calamagrostis 1 & 2; Agrostis 3 & 5;Phleum 5; Alopecurus 5 and var B. Avena fatua, Bromus 2, 5, 7, 8, 9. Lolium 2, 3: Hordeum 2 and 3!; Lemna 4 (but all of them if in flower or fruit). Chara 6, 7. Now you see how very imperfect my British collection is, and even I have only selected the above from what are found in Cambridgeshire. Yet of nearly every one I have foreign specimens.

Many thanks to you for wishing me to pay you a visit – but it is impossible this year. In addition to my Botanical occupation, I am building Farm-offices at my place in the country and must not be far distant. Besides if I were at Cambridge, I dared not return without fulfilling my promise of visiting Dawson Turner at Yarmouth, and Mr Borrer at Henfield the first time I am in the south, and I cannot accomplish that this year.

Believe me | very truly yours | G A Walker Arnott