Ɛpsilon

WCP3866

Letter (WCP3866.3785)

[1]1,2

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

May 1st. 1914.

Lt. Col. Sir D. Prain.3F.R.S. &c.

Dear Sir David Prain,

Amongst the seeds which I received from Mrs Baker4 who was travelling in Uganda a few years ago were two of a convolvulus which was said to be mauve and very rare.

I enclose a flower and some leaves and I should be much obliged if you can tell me the name & whether it is rare. [2] 2. It is growing in a warm green-house & quickly grew up to the roof, but as it showed no sign of bloom it was cut back & again grew up to the roof & then produced one flower at Christmas time 1912. It was again cut down to the base & has again grown to the roof & is now full of bloom.

Can you tell me also whether it is hardy & if it is not would you like to have it for one of your houses?

I have also a plant of Rosa Stellata from New Mexico (fig— [3] 3. ured in Miss Wilmott’s5 book). It is a poor plant & this is a bad time to move it but as we may be leaving would you like to take the risk of having it sent you?

Yours very truly | p.p. A. Wallace [signature] W.G.W.6,7

1
Round stamp of "ROYAL GARDENS – KEW 2 MAY. 1914.”
2
In Prain’s handwriting, “Ansd 4.V.14”. The letter has not been found.
3
Prain, David (1857-1944). Scottish botanist who worked in India at the Calcutta Botanical Garden. Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1905-1922.
4
Baker has not been identified.
5
Willmott, Ellen Ann (1858-1934). British horticulturist and author.
6
Wallace, William Greenell (1871-1951). Son of ARW.
7
At the bottom of the page, writer’s initials unknown, “Ipomoea palmata, Forsk widely distributed in Trop. Africa, but may be rare locally. Offers of this plant & of Rosa stellata accepted.” [illeg.]

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3866.3785)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Sloyan, Victoria [2013-03-15] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3866,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3866