Melbourne bot. & zool
Garden 15. Apr 59
My dear & venerable Sir William
Again the postbag has arrived & I will certainly not let it pass without writing a
short communication, however hasty I shall be obliged to compile it.
I have lately with great admiration perused Dr Hookers paper on
.
I observe, that your celebrated son is not aware of the probable existence of a plant
of this order in N Zealand. [Such] seems to be [case,] for there is in an octavo work
published by a visitor to that island a woodcut given, of what surely belongs to this
family. Unfortunately I forget the name of the author of the work, but Dr Bennett,
whom you will have ere this welcomed in Old England, will be able to point it out
to Dr Hooker, because I saw the book soon after its publication in our friends library.
What I enclose in this letter may possibly also belong to this order & if so it will
constitute a new genus, which Dr Hooker might name
after the gentleman who communicated to me the only specimen which is yet found (in
the vicinity of Moreton Bay) and of which I beg to enclose the best part.
It will not only be of the utmost interest to me but also of a great guidance, if
I receive, as Dr Hooker promised, the list of the 500 plants of India, which Dr Hookers
profound knowledge of the Indian Flora has revealed [now] satisfactory in Australian
Botany. Possibly this list does not yet contain the
, which I received only a few days ago collected quite wild in the forest near Rockhampton.
That I am in possession of your munificent contribution towards my library, I have
gratefully acknowledged by last mail.
My report on Mr Babbage's collection
will no doubt have reached you. That on Mr Gregorys last plants is not yet printed
altho 6 months ago in the hands of the N.S. Wales government.
The son of Dr Howitt (proceeding home by the mail vessel) has kindfully undertaken
to convey to you a parcel of
538 spec.
of chiefly Australian seeds.
It is the largest collection, which we can muster this year, and I hope it will be
acceptable as containing many species found on the Darling — some new (as you will
see in the 5. No of the Fragmenta [nearly] ready at the printers office. [Rutter],
who is surgeon of one of the clippers will bring you a parcel with specimens & the
continuation will follow by Dr []
the surgeon of the Avon. Pray let Dr Hooker not send the Flora Tasmanica, as I have
since some time received it from my Melbourne Bookseller & ordered and prepaid for
the remainder of the work. It would be [immodest] if I should trouble you or Dr Hooker
with any solicitations for works, that are obtainable in the ordinary way of commerce.
Should not the Banksia cones, which Dr Hooker received as collected by Mr Gregory
in N. Australia, be those of B. dentata burried in the deluvium & thus indurated?
With my most earnest wishes for your health
I remain, my very dear Sir William,
your ever attached & grateful
Ferd. Mueller.
