Mary Watson-Wentworth to James Edward Smith

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/15/94
Title Mary Watson-Wentworth to James Edward Smith
Letter date 15 Oct 1790
Author(s) Mary Watson- Wentworth 1735-1804
Number of Pages 4

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GB-110/JES/COR/15/94 from Mary Watson-Wentworth to James Edward Smith (15 October 1790)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/15/94 from Mary Watson-Wentworth to James Edward Smith (15 October 1790) Close

Item data

Item Type: Document
From: Wentworth, Mary Watson-
To: Smith, Sir James Edward
Summary:

Sent [James] Sowerby flower of 'Myrtus tomentosa', which he is painting life sized for her "in its full dignity of royal purple", it flowers "for ever" but they turn white after a few days in sun. Astonished by how much the 'Passiflora' in her hothouse has flowered, called "the Bats wing" by herself and 'P. vespertilio' by [Samuel] Goodenough, resembles the one in Smith's ["Icones pictae plantarum rariorum...", 'Passiflora lunata']; will send pressed flower, fresh flower and leaves for comparison, notes her own observations. Loddiges sent it as true 'Passiflora vespertilio' with two 'Cinnamomum', one which Loddiges insists is the true and the other the same as Mr Hastings', a mango, and white flower variety of 'Rhododendron mexicana'.
Jokes that she will soon be King's Bench Prison [debtors' prison in Southwark, London] where she "shall look for relief to some of my botanical friends".

Letter date: 15 Oct 1790
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 15.176
Additional Information:
Note typeNote
Finding AidsDawson, W R (1934). "Catalogue of the manuscripts in the Library of The Linnean Society - Part I. The Smith papers: The correspondence and miscellaneous papers of Sir James Edward Smith", London: Linnean Society.
Related MaterialSmith, J E, (1790-1793). "Icones pictae plantarum rariorum descriptionibus et observationibus illustratae auctore Jacobo Edvardo Smith. - Coloured figures of rare plants ..." London: [privately].