The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ The leguminous plant alluded to by Mr. Allan Hughan is phytographically known as ¶ Glycyrrhiza psoraloides ¶ , and the only species of liquorice as yet found in Australia. It is, as pointed out by...

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Physical location:

66.04.00e

Plant names

Glycyrrhiza psoraloides
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Lathyrus sativus
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Editor of the Australasian, 1866-04 [66.04.00e]. 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/66-04-00e>, accessed September 11, 2025

Letter not found. The text given here is from Australasian, 7 April 1866, p. 8 (B66.04.06); reprinted in Brisbane courier, 19 April 1866, p. 4 (B66.04.07). The item is M's response to an inquiry he had received from Allan Hughan (A. Hughan to M, 26 March 1866 (in this edition as 66-03-26g)) that was published together with M's letter.

The leguminous plant alluded to by Mr. Allan Hughan is phytographically known as , and the only species of liquorice as yet found in Australia. It is, as pointed out by Mr. Bentham, closely allied to some Mediterranean liquorices.

It was not known that the herb of this or any species of Glycyrrhiza acts on the spinal axis in such a manner as to produce paralysis; but another leguminous plant, —the chickling vetch of South Europe—a plant so common in gardens—produces beans, which, when used extensively as food, cause a peculiar form of paralysis, affecting the lower extremities. In some parts of the Bengal Presidency, the use of the Lathyrus beans has proved very detrimental to the health of the population. To the effect of the Lathyrus, that of the Australian Glycyrrhiza bears evidently great resemblance, but it remains to be ascertained whether the whole herb, or only the little beans of this liquorice, are deleterious. The root may possibly prove a substitute for liquorice-root. Small doses of strychnia may prove useful for promoting the recovery of the animals poisoned by the Glycyrrhiza. occurs on the Lower Lachlan and Darling rivers, on the Murrumbidgee and Murray rivers, and abounds around many of the lagoons and backwaters on places periodically flooded.