Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-70, ff. 84-5. 62.11.26

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1862-11-26. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/62-11-26>, accessed April 5, 2025

Melbourne bot Garden
26/11/62
Dear Mr Bentham.
Since I wrote last to you I have arranged a good deal of
Leguminosae

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. Of
Acacia

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e I have alone nearly 40 fascicles; altho' they comprise very few really new species, the collection proves interesting as showing the range & variation of each.
1
This paragraph is marked in the margin with a cross .
In working up F. Gregorys plants from N W. Australia for the Edinb. bot[.] Society, to whom I have sent the record by this mail,
2
B63.13.03
I came across a beautiful species of Monenteles, which fully corresponds to the description given by D.C. of M. sphaeranthoides, collected by A.C.
3
Allan Cunningham.
on the N W. coast, except that I find the pappus just like in the other sp. of Monenteles. you could confer a favor on me, by sending me a flowerhead & leaf of Cunninghams plant, so that I may either correct my or D.C.'s error
I believe that I forgot mentioning to you, that I described my formerly named
Pleiodontium

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as
Homalium brachybotrys

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in the transactions of the Vict Institute.
4
Pleiodontium

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was a MS name and was never published; see M to G. Bentham, 24 September 1862. In B61.02.02, p. 127, M assigned the name Homalium brachybotrium to the plant he previously described as Blackwellia brachybotrys in B59.13.02, p. 48.
I received
Pavonia hastata

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lately from the Ballone River, a new habitat I have sent this week a collector
5
John Dallachy.
to the N. East coast, who will bring, I am convinced, many novelties for the Australian flora out of the mountain jungles. I enclose the fruit of a new Astragaloid genus from the N. W. coast. I have the plant in cultivation, but it has not yet flowered. I have now also ascertained, that the "Bitter-bark" used as a tan[n] by the Queensland Colonists originates from an oleaceous plant, which proves a new species of that section of
Chionanthus

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formerly separated as
Linociera

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. Blume was right in combining the genera. R. Br. overlooked the note of absense of albumen. I call my plant
Chionanthus picrophloia

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.
6
M described
Chionanthus picrophloia

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in B63.03.01, p. 139.
The bitter principle would thus be Lilocin or Philly[c]in.
Probably I overlooked in my former note to give his Excellency Sir Will. Denison credit for having placed at my disposal Leichhardts plants. They were on his Excellencys own proposition sent to me on loan by the Trustees of the Sydney Museum.
7
See M to G. Bentham, 24 September 1862.
Reviewing the
Adrianae

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, I find that not more than 2 sp. can be distinguished.
I fear you will detect occasional errors (not notified) in comparing some of my manuscript notes with some of the N. W. Australian plants. When through the neglect of the Officer, who had charge of the collection on board of the "Tom Tough" one large cask with specimens was perfectly saturated with water, I could only recover few of the specimens & had to relabel them from memory.
8
The damaged Tom Tough was replaced by Messenger in Sourabaja, Java, and the specimens collected during the first part of the North Australia Exploring Expedition,1855-6, transhipped. Damage was seen when the cask arrived in Sydney. See M to A. Gregory, 6 April 1857 for the report of the damage, and A. Gregory to M, 8 April 1857 for his response.
Thus I fear occasional confusion originated.
I certainly think
Busbeckea

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must be distinguished from
Capparis

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. The calyx is very remarkable. It has no sutures, much less sepals, is absolutley monophyllous & calyptriform & breaks with irregular ruptures whenever the flower expands. This character is of too great a morphologic importance as to be discarded. I have however not seen the true
Busbeckea

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of Norfolk Island & that plant may possibly be a true
Capparis

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.
Trusting that you are in uninterrupted enjoyment of health,
I remain, dear Sir,
Your very regardful & obedient
Ferd Mueller
In one of my last letters I had the pleasure of recommending Mr C. Moore of Sydney for the Fellowship of the Linnean Society
9
See M to G. Bentham, 24 September 1862.