Item data
Item Type:
Document
From:
Roxburgh, William
Sent from:
Calcutta, India
To:
Smith, Sir James Edward
Summary:
Has found new plants in Bengal including 'Asjogam' of "Hortus Malabaricus" vol 5 tab 59, thinks it a new genus and has named it after the late Sir William Jones ['Jonesia'] [(1746-1794) philologist and scholar of ancient India]. A manuscript of Jones' botanical observations to be posthumously printed in "Asiatic Researches" vol 4. Sends Jones' description of the 'Asjogam' and his own with drawing, hopes Smith can publish one. Has 400-500 drawings of plants to send by the next ships, his previously sent drawing of 'Nauclea orientalis' incorrectly labelled. Bark of 'Corchorus olitorius' and 'Corochorus capsularis' discovered to be equal to "the best flax" and will be a valuable export, it was mentioned by [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius and asks if it is known if "the ancients" or any other people substituted flax for it; the Bengali have long used it but only for cordage and twine uses, they believe 'Crotalaria juncea' is more valuable.
A duplicate copy of this letter was also sent.
Letter date:
20 Aug 1794
Languages:
English
Prev Ref No:
8.19
Additional Information:
| Note type | Note |
|---|
| Related Material | For duplicate copy of this letter see JES/COR/8/106.
Rheede Tot Draakestein, H A V et al, (1678-1703). "Hortus Indicus Malabaricus ..."Amstelodami: Joannis van Someren et Joannis van Dyck, 12 vols.
Roxburgh, W, 'A Description of the Jonesia', "Asiatic Researches; or Transactions of the Society in Bengal", 1807 4, pp.353-355; available on GoogleBooks.
Jones, W, 'Botanical Observations on Select Indian Plants', "Asiatic Researches; or Transactions of the Society in Bengal", 1807 4, pp.231-304; available on GoogleBooks. |
| Publn Note | Smith, P (ed.), (1832). "Memoir and correspondence of... Sir James Edward Smith" London: Longman, vol 1, pp.409-411. |
| Additional | Smith replied 9 Oct 1795 |
