Title:
Albrecht von Haller to Carl Linnaeus
Type:
Image
Licence:
Contact [email protected]
Repository:
The Linnean Society of London
Collection:
Linnaean Correspondence
Reference number:
LC/6/85
Archival level:
Item
Date:
26 September 1739
Placement:
Volume 6: 172
Extent:
172
Language:
la
Description:
In June and July Albrecht von Haller visited various districts of the Jura and Alpine regions. He discovered a new kind of Astragalus with silky, pointed leaves and a large blue flower, different from his Swiss Astragalus speciosus, and a Knawel alpinum, which has at each leaflet of its calyx a nectary or a yellow, crescent shaped petal with ten stamens. He has also found a Mnium. He saw the Tozzia (which Linneaus rightly classified as Didynamia), Tribuloides, Limodorum austriacum, Salvinia and Dipsacus laciniatus. He saw about 300 rare plants, of which he will publish a catalogue. He is working with the Didynamia Gymnospermia, accepting and sometimes rejecting the opinions of Linnaeus. The Umbelliferae, Gymnopolyspermae, grasses and trees remain to be examined. There are many striking affinities between trees and herbs, as between Xanthium and Fagus, Taxus and Equisetum. He wants to arrange his “Synopsis” according to a natural method. Eleven plates are engraved, six of which are about plants of the Thistle kind, particulary some new or less known Cirsia. More than 300 Fungi have been collected. Charles Plumier’s posthumous illustrations, Johannes Burman’s ten Decades and Johann Amman’s Russian plants are mentioned. Haller has commenced the commentaries on Herman Boerhaave’s Institutiones medicae and has finished De Allantoide, De corpore luteo and De vasis cordis and the Hercynian journey. He hopes to finish his Flora in 1740, which will comprehend more than 2,700 plants. A lot of rare books have been acquired. Beer will see to it that this letter is handed over to Linnaeus.
Sender:
Haller, Albrecht von
Recipient:
Linnaeus, Carl
Sent to location:
[Uppsala, Sweden]
Transcription:
Praestantissimo Botanico, D[omino] D[octori] Carolo Linnaeo, S[alutem] p[lurimam] d[icit] A[lbertus] Haller D[octor]. Literas, quas ad Te dedi, ante aliquot menses non videris accepisse. Quare his Te convenire visum est, ut brevissimis verbis Tibi de itineribus meis Alpinis & variis rebus loquar. Ego M[ensibus] Junio et Julio varias Jurae et Alpium regiones adivi non absque fructu. Noviter detexi Astragali genus sericeis acutis foliis, flore magno coeruleo, a meo Helvetico specioso diversum, Knawel Alp[inum], cui ad quodvis foliolum calycis nectarium aut petalum lunatum, flavum, adsidet staminibus decem, Mnii genus, cui seta cava in Scyphum paulatim latescit. Vidi etiam Tozziam, quam recte Didynamiam fecisti, Tribuloides, quod est certissime Tetrandrion, Limodorum Austriacum, Salviniam, Dipsacum laciniatum, qui diversus est a vulgari, et circiter 300 stirpes rariores, quarum catalogum & historiam edere constitui. Quare ex duobus itineribus Prof[ess]oris Huberi meoque fere 60 stirpium accessio operi meo facta est; in eo nunc. Etiam versor in Didynamiis Gymnospermis, ubi multa Tua, quae immutasti, eximie probo. In quibusdam, uti fere fit, dissentio. Supersunt Umbelliferae, Gymnopolyspermae, Gramina & Arbores, quas tamen ex JUNGII & Tuo consilio miscebo stirpibus, siquidem multas et manifestas adfinitates reperio, v[erbi] g[ratia] Xanthii & Fagi, Taxi & Equiseti. Imo v[ero], si potero, methodo naturali Synopsin meam disponam. Undecim Tabulae sculptae sunt, quarum sex carduaceas stirpes habent, Cirsia inprimis nova aut minus cognita. Hortum consevi hoc anno, inde multi Characteres nati. Surinamenses tamen inscitia Hortulani perierunt omnes. In Fungis etiam proficio. Non paucos ultra 300 legi. Sed multae in hoc genere varietates sunt, quas conabor indicare. Nova Tu me rectius nosti Plumerii posthumas, Decades X Burmanni, Russicas Ammanni. Quid Tu, hominum omnium maxime indefessus, agas? Mone, precor! Ego Anatomicis & Botanicis laboribus Vitam tero. Theatrum inauguravi. Boerhaavianarum Institutionum Commentarios cepi edere. De Allantoide, Corpore luteo & vasis cordis deque Itinere Hercynico scripsi & anno 1740, si Deus faverit, finem faciam Florae, cui constanter ultra 2 700 stirpes erunt exclusis colorum varietatibus. Harum omnium pene plenum pinacem feci. Plures libros raros, etiam Columnam, acquisivi. Pictorem instruxi certe egregium. Et ita conabor me gerere, ut me porro ames. Archiater D[ominus] Beer literas Tuas, opinor, curabit reddi. Vale die 26 sept[embris] 1739! [address] A Monsieur / Monsieur Linnaeus Professeur, et Membre de l’Academie Imperiale / A Upsala
Previous reference number:
L0300
Condition note:
seal tear
