88
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
"Warner by my desire dried a specimen for you last year,
"which Mr. Collinson sends you now, but I hope to get you a
"specimen where the parts of fructification are more distinct.
"If you find this plant to be no Jasmine, but an undescribed
"genus, you will oblige me in calling it Warneria after its worthy
"possessor." But Ellis wrote ten days later: "Mr. Warner
"begs of me to write to you not to call it Warneria, and therefore
I shall desire the favour of you to call it Augusta; a name, I
"hope, you will think highly suitable to the magnificent appear-
"ance of so elegant a plant."
Linnaeus wished to call the plant Wameria—but Ellis writes
repeating Warner's request: "I believe he is convinced that it
"differs from the Jasmine; but he has such an esteem for Mr.
"Miller that he would not appear to differ from him in so capital
"a plant by adopting another name." One might add that
Miller had a reputation for being somewhat outspoken.
Linnaeus would have none of Ellis's Augusta as he had laid
down certain rules about the use of adjectival generic names.
Ellis therefore suggested "Portlandia, after the eminent patroness
"of botany and natural history the Dutchess of Portland,15 who
"is a great admirer of your excellent and learned works." But
Linnaeus, though believing it a new genus, wrote "I dare not
"therefore take my character of your shrub from a double
"flower, except on your exclusive authority. I had rather not
"meddle with this plant at all, till it is better known."
Later he wrote: "I have been for some time anxious to
"conform to your wishes, in establishing the new genus of plants
"called Warneria, founded on the beautiful double-flowered
"shrub, brought from the Cape of Good Hope; but the double
"flower being almost sure to mislead us, in the construction of
"the character, caused me to hesitate. Nevertheless, as you
"are so earnest on the subject, I could not withhold my consent;
"and I therefore agreed to publish a character of this genus,
"on your authority alone, feeling myself not qualified to decide
"on its certainty.
"Meanwhile I had always present to my recollection a dried
"specimen, with a single flower, preserved in some part of my
15 Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Duchess of Portland, to whom Lightfoot, who was her
secretary and private chaplain, dedicated his Flora Scotica. The sale of her Museum occupied
thirty-eight days.