Linnaeus has received Nicolaas Laurens Burman’s letter dated 18 August{L2940} and the enclosed specimens all of which were incomplete and damaged. Burman had promised a good specimen of Cyanella; he sent two but both were incomplete. Burman also sent a damaged specimen of the plant that flowered when he was away. It was without ovary, calyx and spathe and therefore Linnaeus cannot give an answer.
The enclosed flower was a Martynia annua.
The shoot could be an Echium.
Linnaeus cannot say anything about the Geranium specimen that Burman sent since it was damaged.
The illustration from Jacob L’Admiral’s work [Naauwkeurige Waarneemingen], was very beautiful but the number of the page was missing so that Linnaeus cannot make reference to it.
The new plant flowering could be a Scilla.
Burman supposes that he has a new species of Phytolacca. Linnaeus has three live species.
Burman’s description of Heliophila ["Heliophila, descripta"] seems good but Linnaeus cannot decide if it is a new genus not having seen it. A specimen from Carl Magnus Blom was too incomplete.
Burman’s father’s [Johannes Burman] ”Ferraria” had been engraved when the Society’s [the Royal Society of Sciences at Uppsala, Kungliga Vetenskaps-Societeten i Uppsala] Acta arrived [Burman’s article was never published in the Society’s Acta].
Burman had asked for his father’s Wachendorfiae, but Linnaeus has not seen any.
Reaumuria flowered with one flower in the Uppsala University Botanical Garden. Linnaeus does not know if it will produce any seeds. Its nectar is very peculiar.
Linnaeus has received 50 different fishes from America [from Alxander Garden to Linnaeus, 12 April 1761{L2902}], a lot of seeds, a sweet-scented Azalea, and a live Irisonia. He has also received 40 species of bulbs from the Cape of Good Hope [from C. Rijk Tulbagh, if there was an accompanying letter, this has not come down to us].
Seeds of Rubi arctici [arctic raspberries], Rubi chamaemori [cloudberries], Ledum [marshtea], Linnaeae and Vaccinia [“wild berries”] never germinate and he cannot have plants of them in his garden. It is hard to believe since they are widely spread everywhere.
One copy of Carl Alexander Clerck’s illustrations has been published [Linnaeus refers to the Icones insectorum rariorumI]. It was given to the Queen [Lovisa Ulrika]. He will produce more. Linnaeus has not seen a more beautiful work.