Carl Peter Thunberg is very happy to report that he recently received four letters from Linnaeus [presumably Linnaeus to Thunberg, 10 November 1771{L5942}, 17 June 1773{L4857}, 15 October 1773{L4949} and 29 October 1773{L4906}]. Some letters were sent from Holland and some were brought by Carl Gustaf Ekeberg. One letter had been on its way for 16 months! Thunberg’s dearest wish is that the parcels sent this year to Linnaeus will arrive safely. He cannot understand why some of the consignments have not arrived yet, e.g. one containing the new genus Linnaeus saw at Abraham Bäck’s. A Thunbergia, together with a description, was sent to Lars Montin who was instructed to forward an example of the flower to Linnaeus.
In his letters Linnaeus asks many questions. Time does not allow Thunberg to answer them all now but he comments on the following plants:
Anthericum speciosum
Mansonia speciosa
Cycas caffra, a description of it has been sent to Montin.
Antherium
Heliophilae
Hermannia and Mahernia
Lobeliae
Cyphiae Bergii
Helonias viridis
Asparagus and Dragaena
Fabricia (Stellina) and Hypoxis
Syphilos. Thunberg is sending a description of it.
Campanulae and Roellae
Thunberg is enclosing a new plant named Aitonia asphadeloides with a description of it and two species of Masonia.
Thunberg is very grateful for Linnaeus’s promise to give him specimens of his surplus stock. Nothing is dearer to Thunberg than plants and insects.
As he intends to stay in the Cape until the next February or March, there will be time for him to send more letters and plants to Linnaeus.