Edward Palmer’s whereabouts known, August–September, 1867

Abstract

Edward Palmer collected plant specimens during and after his military service in Southern Arizona, 1867. His itinerary over about six weeks between Camp Grant, his last official commission, and Yuma has been poorly known, but is now revealed by a series of specimens found in the course of formerly unrelated, collections-based research. A brief historical and geographical discussion accompanies a list of the specimens collected by Palmer during this time.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Edward Palmer’s plant specimens from southern Arizona, August–September 1867

Specimens are aggregated by general location, and listed first in chronological order (reflecting the suggested corrections in Table I), then by collector’s number. Latin names in current usage appear in italics. Names appearing in square brackets, [], are those—if any, and when different—that appeared on the original labels. Palmer’s labels bear the printed header, “Southern Arizona,” that is omitted from the location in the individual entries. Specimens cited were seen, except where noted otherwise.

Vicinity of Tucson I: Hoffmannseggia glauca (Ortega) Eifert, [H. falcaria (stricta)] Tucson, 2 Aug 1867, Palmer 59 (GH); Bouteloua aristidoides (H.B.K.) Griseb., Bottom of the Santa Cruz River, 2 Aug 1867, Palmer 264 (MO); Hibiscus denudatus Benth., [var. involucillata] “fl. drab-white”, High hills near Tucson, 5 Aug 1867, Palmer 26 (MO); Acacia constricta Benth. ex A. Gray, Tucson, 5 Aug 1867, Palmer 67 (MO); Quincula lobata (Torr.) Raf., [Physalis lobata Torr.] Prostrate, fl. purplish, greenish white at throat, Tucson, 5 Aug 1867, Palmer 202 (MO); Euphorbia hyssopifolia L., [E. hypericifolia L.] Tucson, 5 Sep [sic] 1867, Palmer 240 (MO). Note: Based on Palmer’s other specimens from Aug 5 (near Tucson) and Sep 5 (near the Gila River), it is more likely that the collection date at Tucson for this and the following specimen was in Aug, and so the two are included here; Eriochloa acuminata (J. Presl) Kunth, In mesquite openings, Tucson, 5 Sep [sic] 1867, Palmer 269 (GH).

Davidson’s Springs to Camp Wallen: Laennecia coulteri (A. Gray) G.L. Nesom, [Erigeron (Conyza)] Shady bottoms, Camp Wallen, 4 [sic] Aug 1867, Palmer 116 (MO). Note: Unless Palmer made a 1-day, 110-mile round-trip to this locality, this and Palmer 205 (next) seem to be out of place chronologically; it seems likely that the date should be in the range of 6–8 Aug, when he traveled to Camp Wallen via Davidson’s Springs (see other records in this range); Macrosiphonia brachysiphon (Torr.) A. Gray, [Echites brachysiphon Torr.] Fl. white, with some red outside, strong scent of the [tuberose?]. Ravines in mountains on the Wallen road, near Davidson’s springs, 4 [sic] Aug 1867, Palmer 205 (MO). Notes: See note regarding collection date with Palmer 116 (previous). This specimen was cited by Woodson (1933: 780); Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn., [T. patens] Root tuberous, plant succulent, fl. pink, under bushes, Camp Wallen, 6 Sep [sic] 1867, Palmer 31 (MO). Note: The location suggests that the month should be Aug, and so is included here. See the records below from this range, and from 5–8 Sep when Palmer was traveling west between Tucson and Yuma; Tetraclea coulteri A. Gray, Hills at Davis’ springs near Tucson, 7 Aug 1867, Palmer 174 (MO); Eriogonum wrightii Torr. ex Benth., Camp Wallen, 7 Aug 1867, Palmer 226 (MO); Euphorbia hyssopifolia L., [E. hypericifolia L.] Camp Wallen, 7 Aug 1867, Palmer 239 (MO); Krameria erecta Willd. ex Schult., [K. canescens A. Gray] Fl. pink, Davis’ Spring, 8 Aug 1867, Palmer 43 (MO).

Vicinity of Tucson II: Ruellia nudiflora (Engelm. & A. Gray) Urb., [R. tuberosa] Purplish blue, among shady underbank, Tucson, 8 Aug 1867, Palmer 166 (MO); Ammannia robusta Heer & Regel, [Ammannia] Fl. pink, waterhole near Tucson, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 95 (MO); Opuntia fulgida Engelm. var. fulgida, [Opuntia] Wide-branching, 8–10 ft high, bloom (magenta color) and ripe fruit at same time, Tucson, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 104 (MO); Stemodia durantifolia (L.) Sw., Fl. whitish, purplish in centre, 9-mile water hole, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 161 (MO); Suaeda nigra (Raf.) J.F. Macbr., Deep green succulent, 9-mile waterhole near Tucson, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 215 (MO); Jatropha cardiophylla (Torr.) Müll. Arg., [Monzinna] Shrub 3 ft high, many stems from running rootstock—female blossom white, Tucson, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 245 (MO). Note: This specimen was cited by McVaugh (1956: 336, and the unnumbered figure facing p 15). It was absent from MO on loan and unavailable in Jun 2006; Chloris virgata Sw., 9-mile water hole, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 258 (MO); Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link, 9-mile water hole, 10 Aug 1867, Palmer 271 (GH); Physalis angulata L. var. lanceifolia (Nees) Waterf., [Physalis] White with greenish throat, 9-mile water hole, 11 Aug 1867, Palmer 203 (MO); Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L., Blue and white, showy among rocks, beyond the mill at Tucson, 20 Aug 1867, Palmer 197 (MO). Note: A duplicate specimen at GH was annotated E. arizonicus A. Gray for the Synoptical Flora of North America, and has since been regarded as that by other workers. The corollas on both sheets appear smaller than called for and are closer to those of E. alsinoides, as the specimen was filed, without annotation, at MO; Amaranthus fimbriatus (Torr.) Benth. ex S. Watson, [Sarratia berlandieri Moq.] Tucson, 20 Aug 1867, Palmer 220 (MO); Najas marina L., [N. major All.] Santa Cruz River near Tucson, 20 Aug 1867, Palmer 249 (MO). Note: This specimen was cited by Stuckey (1985: 5) as one of the earliest records of the species in the southwestern United States; Lepidium thurberi Wooton, [L. alyssoides] Hills and river bottoms, Tucson, 22 Aug 1867, Palmer 14 (MO); Condalia warnockii M.C. Johnst. var. kearneyana M.C. Johnst., [Microrhamnus ericoides Gray] Scrubby bush, low cañons near Tucson, 22 Aug 1867, Palmer 38 (MO); Polygonum lapathifolium L., [Polygonum] Banks of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson, 25 Aug 1867, Palmer 223 (MO).

En route to Yuma: Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) Nees, “Low places,” Blue Water Station, 4 Sep 1867, Palmer 268 (MO); Brachiaria fasciculata (Sw.) Parodi, Under mesquite bushes, White’s Mills, 5 Sep 1867, Palmer 270 (GH). Note: The label bears duplicate collection data as one at MO, where the specimen there is Panicum stramineum (see next); Panicum stramineum Hitchc. & Chase, Under mesquite bushes, White’s Mills, 5 Sep 1867, Palmer 270 (MO). Notes: The label bears duplicate collection data as one at GH, where the specimen there is Brachiaria fasciculata (see previous). This specimen was cited by Zuloaga & Morrone (1996: 272); Allionia incarnata L., Prostrate, fl. pink, 60 miles west of Tucson, 7 Sep 1867, Palmer 209 (MO); Suaeda nigra (Raf.) J.F. Macbr., Saline bottoms on the Gila, 8 Sep 1867, Palmer 216 (MO); Tidestromia lanuginosa (Nutt.) Standl., [Alternanthera lanuginosa Torr.] Tucson to Yuma, 8 Sep 1867, Palmer 222 (MO).

Appendix 2

Supplemental notes and entries to McVaugh’s (1956) Geographical Index, to accommodate specimens collected by Edward Palmer in southern Arizona, August–September 1867 (see Table I and Fig. 1)

Blue Water Station, Arizona (Pinal Co.)

1867. September 4. Stage station and well, established in 1859 (Barnes, 1935) about 12 miles southwest of Sanford (Eckhoff & Riecker, 1880).

[Old] Camp Grant, Arizona (Pinal Co.)

See McVaugh (1956).

Camp Wallen, Arizona (Cochise Co.)

1867. August 6? & 7. Military camp first established in 1866 at the ruins of the Babocomari Ranch, north of the Huachuca Mountains along the Babocomari River. Abandoned in 1869 (Alexander, 1998), the site is labeled “Old C. Wallen” on the territorial map of 1880 (Eckhoff & Riecker, 1880). Palmer made the trip from Tucson to the camp, via Davidson’s (Davis’) Springs, about a week after his arrival in Tucson from Camp Grant.

Davis’ Spring, Arizona (Pima Co.)

1867. August 6?, 7 & 8. Presumably a variant on Davidson’s Springs, in Davidson Canyon between the Empire Mountains and the Santa Rita Mountains. The springs appear on the territorial map of 1880, along the road southeast from Tucson about half way to Camp Wallen (Eckhoff & Riecker, 1880). Palmer’s labels for this locality are dated 4 Aug, 7 Aug, and 8 Aug. Logistically, and in light of specimens from [Camp] Wallen, it seems likely that those dated the 4th were mislabeled, and were collected in the range of 6–8 Aug.

Nine mile water hole, Arizona (Pima Co.)

1867. August 10 & 11. Site of perennial water holes and a stage station nominally 9 miles northwest of Tucson, at the crossing of the Santa Cruz River on the road to Sacaton, Yuma, and elsewhere (Surveyor General’s Office, 1871; Eckhoff & Riecker, 1880). Within 2 years of Palmer’s visit, the small community of Laguna was noted there (Anonymous, 22 May 1869).

Tucson, Arizona (Pima Co.)

1867. August 2, 5, 8, 10, 20 & 22. Territorial capital of Arizona (1867–1877) and original site of Camp Lowell (Walker & Bufkin, 1986) at the time of Palmer’s interlude. Palmer made collections in the vicinity, in nearby hills, and on the Santa Cruz River, then a small channel with a several-mile perennial reach opposite the townsite (Smart, 1870).

White’s Mills, Arizona (Pinal Co.)

1867. September 5. Grist mill on the south side of the Gila River near the town of Sanford, shown as “White’s” on the territorial map of 1880 (Eckhoff & Riecker, 1880). The mill was remarked upon by travelers in 1864 (Barnes, 1935).

Yuma, Arizona (Yuma Co.)

See McVaugh (1956).