Hugh Davies, Aber, near Bangor, [Gwynedd], to James Edward Smith, Norwich, Norfolk

Summary

Adiantum nigrum pinnulis cicutarviae divisurâ' as rare as 'Polypodium arvonicum', describes having once found it with [William] Hudson on Snowdon, Wales, and described in "Hist. Ok. III", sending specimen for Smith's opinion. Also sending specimens of 'Filix montana' and Bolton's 'rhaeticam' via [James] Sowerby. Remembers seeing 'Filix pumila-saxatilis-altora' 30 years ago on a tour of Snowdon with [William] Sheffield [(c 1732-1795) Keeper of Ashmolean Museum, Oxford] where ['Polypodium] oreopteris' was pointed out as 'Thelypteris', refers Smith to [Johann Jacob] Dillenius' description of it as an accurate description of '[Polypodium] oreopteris'; believes 'Filix pumila' to be the true 'Thelypteris' and should be '[Thelypteris] saxatilis' and that 'oreopteris' should be '[Polypodium] querna'. 'Polypodium ilvense' one of the numerous different appearances of 'Polypodium fragile'. 'Tremella vagans' did not resume its form after an undisclosed experiment but believes Sowerby could still make a drawing of it. Pleased that Smith has reversed [Samuel] Goodenough's classification of 'Carex fulva' as a variety only. Wishes Smith well with the "Flora Graeca". Believes habitat for [William] Withering 's 'Ulva lanceolata' should be Anglesea rather than Isle of Man. Queries Withering's 'Polytrichum hercynicum' referring to Hudson's, which is a 'Bryum'. Remdinder for Sowerby that 'Hydnum daviesii' is a pure white, [Smith has marked this with a tick].

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN2695

From

Hugh Davies

To

Sir James Edward Smith

Date

31 Jan 1800

Sent from

Aber, Gwynedd

Sent to

Norwich, Norfolk

Source of text

GB-110/JES/COR/4/14, The Linnean Society of London

Language

English

Contributor

The Linnean Society of London[View Ɛpsilon collection]

Also published in The Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith, The Linnean Society's Archive Catalogue.

• Hugh Davies
• Sir James Edward Smith