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Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-70, ff. 116-19. 63.09.10b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1863-09-10 [63.09.10b]. 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/63-09-10b>, accessed April 19, 2025

Melb. bot. Garden
10/9/63.
Dear Mr Bentham.
The rest of the
Leguminosae

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has been sent to you pr "Monarch" in the first days of this month. I trust that they will prove interesting to you and augment largely the material for the second volume.
1
Of Bentham (1863-78).
Your unrivalled knowledge of
Leguminosae

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will enable you to furnish us with a lucid rearrangement of the genera. I feel we have too many. Is not Meisners
Goodia lotifolia

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= G. medicaginea, which I called so
2
Goodia medicaginea

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, B58.03.01, p. 10.
from some habitual resemblance to
Medicago arborea

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.
Perhaps you have authentic specimina of Sweets G. retusa, which I cannot recognize from the short phrase.
3
i.e. in Sweet (1826), p. 110, which APNI treats as invalid being a nomina nuda (i.e. a name without an attached description). Sweet's 'short phrase' was 'notched'; a symbol indicated that it was one of the 'new plants from New Holland in Mr. Mackay's Nursery, with the MS names, not published'.
Of Swainsona you receive a magnificent & instructive series of forms. The species are evidently very variable in inflorescence, indument, color &c. I find S. phacoides assumes occasionally orange colored flowers; is therefore not perhaps S. galegifolia = G. coronillifolia? I had no time to examine the specimens with critical care, but trust they will travel safely to & fro, so that I can work them up after you for the flora of Victoria[.] I have a few singular forms of Swainsona from the desert temporary named, such a S. oroboides, S. Burkei &c, but am not sure, that they are not mere extreme forms of other species.
4
Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, accepted both S. oroboides (p. 222) and S. burkei (p. 218).
Cyclogyne

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= Swainsona, as I pointed out in the Fragmenta.
5
B59.02.03, pp. 75-76 and B62.07.01, p. 46.
Eutaxia I combine with Dillwynia.
Phyllota

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with
Aotus

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.
Nematophyllum

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appears to be a good genus. It differs from Goodia in habit, partially unifoliolate leaves, persistent stipules and bracteoles, inflorescence, form of Calyx, the concrescence of the carinal petals on their anterior part, imperfectly septate and somewhat patellar strophiole. It is neither combinable with
Bossiaea

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.
What is
Swainsona Froebelii

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of Regels Gartenflora.
6
Regel (1854), including tab. 89. Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p. 216 suggested that it may have been S. lessertiifolia, but he had not seen Regel's description or plate.
Leptocyamus may contain but one Australian species, altho' I have not carefully examined my material. It has not the upturned rostrum to the pod as G. labialis. Would it not be best to obliterate the genus Glycine, which has become so ambiguous, and place G. labialis a Leptocyamus. Are the anthers really not always either all fertile or half-sterile. Hitherto I considered this a generic character in
Leguminosae

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. The Yellow flowered Vignas described by you and which are so near to V. Catjang I combine as
Dolichos Benthami

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.
7
See Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, pp. 259-60 where the cosmopolitan Vigna lutea and V. luteola are discussed;
Dolichos Benthami

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i had been described by Meissner in 1843.
I cannot see more than subgeneric value in Vigna.
Psoralea pannosa

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of former sendings contains varieties not well responding to the specific name,
8
A specimen bearing M's label
Psoralea pannosa

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dated ‘Dec 55’ exists at Kew under Cullen badocanum (K000217484). See Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p, 190.
hence I have altered it into P. Archeri.
9
Psoralea archeri, B63.09.01, p. 21.
P. parva may be a var of P. tenax. Once I held the color of the flowers of Psoralea of importance, but I find them now not so, as certainly P. patens occurs rarely with blue flowers & usually with pink. P. tenax has usually blue P. parva usually pink flowers. Is P. patens really distinct from P. plicata? Of Leichhardts plants I have selected what I considered of interest from the
Leguminosae

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. The bulk of them repeats what we have better in other collections, and they are too ill preserved as to render it desirable to send them all.
I believe that on a former occasion I alluded already to Mr Daniel Bunce as having gathered plants [on] Dr Leichhardts second (short) expedition.
10
M to G. Bentham, 23 October 1862.
I recognize now his handwriting with certainty and you will easily distinguish it from Leichhardts; so I would recommend that in regard to these particular plants their names should be quoted conjointly; The number of Bunce's specimens is few compared with Leichhardts general collection.
That the second hundred pounds are sent by last mail to the Colonial Agent I have mentioned by last mail.
11
The Victorian Government’s contribution to the cost of Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2. See M to G. Bentham, 11 August 1863.
Pray stimulate Mr Reeves to the despatch of the 30 copies for our Government as early as possible. I think it would not be liked, if the booksellers (who always import by the overland mail) had the work before the Government.
12
There is a question mark in the margin against this paragraph.
I enclose a note upon my new genus
Diplolobium

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.
13
Diplolobium

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(D. walcottii), B63.13.03, p. 489.
It has the foliage of Swainsona &
Astragalus

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, and I should have combined it with the latter genus, were its pods not two-seeded & very readily breaking into two closed mericarps. In looking over my carpological collections of
Leguminosae

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, I found the remnants of flowers herewith forwarded.
Is not
Physolobium

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a mere variety of
Kennedya prostrata

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, which varies with slightly and exceedingly turgid pods! If
Physolobium

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is something different I have never seen the plant.
The cases (4) pr Prince of Wales arrived & the contents are (I am glad to say) again dry & safe in our Museum, altho the soldering of the seems
14
seams?
of the metal lids to the case was so imperfectly done, that large fissures were left open. This work was evidently done by an inexperienced man, and had the cases been placed on a moist spot or exposed to leakage, the contents would not have been preserved by the metal coating. Will you kindly give instructions to prevent similar dangers? By the "Monarch", which sailed on the 7. Sept. you will receive in two cases the rest of the
Leguminosae

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. To fill up the second box I added
Melastomeae

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,
Chrysobalaneae

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and
Combretaceae

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. The latter order is highly interesting & the series of forms of most of the species is good. I shall send by the "Norfolk", which is to sail by the 19 of the month the remaining collections, required for your second volume. Amongst these the
Saxifrageae

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in their grand arborescent form are highly interesting.
Donatia

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is omitted by Dr Hooker as a Tasmanian plant together with
Panax sambucifolius

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and a few other plants from that Island.
15
J. Hooker (1860).
Would it not be well to obtain also Dr Milligans collections for comparison. He took his herbarium home with him and his adress could be made out at the British Museum.
I have not
Eremosyne

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and if you have a small specimen to spare at Kew I should feel thankful, though Endlicher or rather Bauer figured it well.
16
Endlicher (1838), t.112 (Stearn (1947) gives the date of publication of this plate as March 1841). Although Ferdinand Bauer drew most of the plates, t. 112 is signed 'Poutterlick (sic) del.'
The lignotideous
Carallia

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occurs not like the true
Rhizophoreae

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on the saline aestuaries.
What is
Dolichos reticulatus

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Aiton from Australia, referred to also in Wallich's list?
17
Wallich (1828-49), number 5552.
& by Steudel in the Nomenclator
18
Steudel (1840-41), p. 523.
Bruguiera Australis

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All. Cunn., republished by Miquel in fl. Ind. Batav
19
Miquel (1855-59), vol. 1, part 1, p. 588.
seems identical with B. Rheedei
20
B. rheedii?
Blume. In my last letter I suggested, that simultaneous with the present publication a cryptogamic series of volumes for the flora of Australia might be commenced. If you think it desirable I will at once send what I have for the purpose of revision. Is not
Calotropis tricolor

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Don
21
APNI does not list
Calotropis tricolor

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(accessed 7 August 2019), but see note in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p. 7.
(
Galega tricolor

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Hook fl. exot.)
22
W. Hooker (1823-7), vol. 3, plate 185.
a
Tephrosia

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?
Indigofera ervoides

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, I. brevidens & I. lasiantha appear reducible to I. Australia.
23
I. australis?
All the Kennedyae (including
Zichya

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&
Hardenbergia

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) appear to me to form only seven species. I have not worked up the
Papilionaceae

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for the Vict. Flora, but will (to ease your work) attend as far as I can to the subsequent orders.
Glancing over your volume it appears to me, that Mr Woolls name but scantily appears. I have, in the immensity of work, which surrounds me, not had time to mark all his specimens with his name. But his handwriting, always in leadpencil, will be readily recognized. His contributions have been extensive and were always rendered gratuitously. I would advise to obtain Dr Milligans plants. He has much from Flinders Island in his private collection and many of his plants are not at Kew. The Doctors adress may be made out at the British Museum. Some notes upon the habitats of certain
Leguminosae

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I have to send by next mail.
24
Notes not identified.
As I do not intend to work up the
Leguminosae

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Papilionaceae

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, the next shipments will follow in rapid succession.
25
Although M had ceased work on Part 2 of Plants indigenous to the colony of Victoria after 5 sheets (40 pages) were printed (see B63.13.06), he did nevertheless work up specimens before they went to Kew, publishing an account of this group in his Fragmenta (B63.09.01, pp. 3-22). The same practice influenced his publication pattern throughout his assistance to Bentham; see Lucas (2003), pp. 264-7.
What means have we of ascertaining what
Acacia dodonaeifolia

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is? Wendlands figure & description are imperfect.
26
H. L. Wendland (1820), p. 30, tab. 7.
But original specimens might be got from Hannover. My A. dodonaeifolia is probably not his; hence I would like to call it A. visciflua.
27
B63.13.06, p. 24; see also Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p. 539.
I believe Wendland's plant is an E. Australia one and one of the many forms of A. leprosa. Through Fenzl it might be readily ascertained, what A. angustifolia is. Its calyx (not of free sepals) seems to distinguish it from A. suaveolens.
Trusting that you be long spared us in uninterrupted health so that you may pursue your luminous path with accustomed vigor,
I remain, dear Mr Bentham,
your attached
Ferd. Mueller
Many thanks for your shipping 4 cases pr Prince of Wales. But would it not be well to send not too many by one ship, in order to diminish risk?
Pray give me the names of the special orders you intend to elaborate in vol II, so that I may be in time with my contributions.
Is the byefollowing
Mimosa

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really new?
In
Leptocyamus clandestinus

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we have as well pinnately as digitately trifoliolate leaves.
28
Paragraph is a marginal note on f. 117.
29
The remaining text is filed at folio 10 of the archive volume. It is placed here on the basis that the discussion concerns genera included in Cases16 and 17 sent on the Monarch on 7 September. Other genera sent in the same cases are discussed above (Notebook recording despatch of plants for Flora Australiensis, RB, MSS, M44, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne).
I regard it most advisable to unite
Euchilus

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with Pultenaea, as also Spadostylis.
30
Spadostyles? Contrast the argument here with that in M to G. Bentham, 11 August 1863.
The position of the leaves, whether alternating or opposite, is not of generic value in my opinion, because we have in Daviesia also sp. with opposite leaves. These would require to be placed into a separate new genus, if the distinction between
Euchilus

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& Pultenaea are kept up. Eutaxia has on the same grounds to be placed with Dillwynia and so
Sclerothamnus

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. My
Eutaxia sparsifolia

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I have redescribed for the fragmenta as
Dillwynia patens

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.
31
D. patula in B63.09.01, p. 16.
In a readjustment of the genera I go a step f[a]rther th[a]n you by uniting not only Podolob.
32
Podolobium.
& Callistachys to Oxylobium,
33
See G. Bentham to M, 24 June 1863 (in this edition as 63-06-24a).
but all these also to Chorizema,
34
Spelled Chorozema by M in B63.09.01, pp. 17-20.
the oldest of the 4. I have a great piety for old genera, but when they are absolutely untenable, I think we are justified in obliterating them for the sake of logical lucid systematic arrangements[.] I see no difference between Daviesia collitioides and D. physodes. That
Podolobium scandens

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, P. procumbens,
Oxylobium spinosum

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and
Mirbelia Baxteri

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are all the same =
Chorizema scandens

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Sm you will have also, no doubt, ascertained. I have now to offer a few remarks on the range of certain species of
Leguminosae

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Will be only able to send this by next mail
35
Will only … by next mail is written at the bottom of the first page of the back of f. 10, with its intended position indicated by an asterisk. Additional notes on the range of
Leguminosae

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spp. have not been found.
Amongst Hovea I have a curious new species. (H. acanthoclada) with thornlike branchlets & minute leaves. The eastern Hoveae seem all reducible to 2 or 3 sp.
Euchilus

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I unite with Spadostylis to Pultenaea. There is quite as much difference in the calyx of the genus
Bossiaea

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as in the so extended genus Pultenaea. Stipules & strophioles seem to me of sufficient value to build upon them generic distinctions. I adopt for Spadostylis Cunninghami the name Pultenaea ternata, under which the plant was sent to Kew many years ago. Mr Black
36
Allan Black.
in his list of identifications gave me that of Spadostylis Cunninghami for my plant. Dillwynia (Eutaxia) empetrifolia, so common in the E. desert I have now also from S. W. Australia. Many Murray plants strech quite around the Great Bight.
Since writing the above I have more closely looked on Chorizemata. The presense of strophioles in Chorizema (Callistachys) linearis is curious and the presense of stipules in Oxylob. alpestre and their absence in Choriz (Oxylobium) ellipticum seems also remarkable. Of
37
If?
therefore these two characters cannot be relied on, many of the genera of
Leguminosae

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are swept away. There are again exceedingly minute stipules in [some]
Phyllota

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, which either must go back to Pultenaea, or as I propose be united with
Aotus

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, as all those examined by me have no strophiole. They would form however a section. Oxycladium I unite with Mirbelia after the discovery of an other leafless species (M. oxyclada)
Bosistoa

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has often only [5] leaflets.
38
The final paragraph is a marginal note and refers to the published account in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, p. 359.