A Letter to Mr. William Watson, F. R. S. from Mr. Philip Miller, F. R. S. concerning aMistake of Professor Gmelin, concerning the Sphondylium Vulgare Hirsutum of CasparBauhinAuthor(s): Philip MillerSource: Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 48 (1753 - 1754), pp. 153-154Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/105136 .

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XXII. iq Leer sa Mr. W;lliam Watfon, F. R. S. fFan Mr. Philip Miller, E. R. S. corcerning % Mi/iake of P<#or Gmelin,

cerxtng theSphondylium vulgare hirEu- tum of Cafpar B-auhin.

Read Miy 3, 19 N the abflrad of the Elora Sibirtca,, 1753* -1 which you laid before the Royal So

ciety at thexr laR meeting, there was mentioneds that the-itnhabitants of Siberit eat the Ilalks of the Sphondylium he7^put?4m C. B. P. But I have great reafon eo believe ProfeSor Gmelin has millaken the fp@cies: For he defcribes that plant as growing upward of a feet high; whereas the common fort (as you well obServed) feldom rifes much above hal£that height. Therefore I am ofthe opinionX that the plant mentioned by Pro*ffior CImelin is that fpe; cies, which Doftor Breynius mentions? in his fecond Prodrowus, under the title of Sphondylitn maxiguan Tranflvanicum Ptfictni folio; the feeds of svhich I br.oughe from Dr Bocrhaave's gatin in the year I7X7 where it was growing by the comtnon fort of Cafpat Bauhins and in the fame foil and Etuation was more than twice the heightO and the fame has con- tinued in the growth of both thefe plants fince, ir the Chelfea-Garden; where the large iort conllantly rifes to a Ilem, at leaIt a month fooner in the fpring than the common forta and the leaves are much largerX leli divided, and not fo hairy; fo that there can be no doubt of their being diItinflc fpecles. The loaves af b06 forts I halre fent for your inEpeEtiont

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[ I54 ] The feeds of that fpecies of DoEtor Breynius I

have received from Siberia, by the title of Sphondyliug talgare, and Dodcor Eloerhaave told me, he had re- ceived the -feeds from AuIlriaX Hungary, and Peterf- burgh, by the fame name, fo that it is certainlythe common fort in thoIE coutitries. And it is very ufual to find many millakes in the writers on botany, which has happened from their fuppoflng, that the plants, which harre been mentioned as common in one country, were the fame with thofe of the coutltry where they inhabited. An mItance of this you well remember of the Parittaria miner cymif ilio. C. B. which is the only fpecies found wild inEngland; and fO was by all the Engliffi botaniIls taken for the Pa- rieraria inarum e iOxoSaridis Cv B. which are diItindc fpecies.

Many other inflances might be mentroned of mil* takes which have arifen from the ofume fuppofltiony were it neceSary: but as you are fo well acquainted with theSe things) fo I Ihall not troWuble you with tht mention of any more at prefeslt, but rernairl,

S I Ra

I753. y X Your moft obedient humble fervang

Philip MillerO

xxIm

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