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Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-70, ff. 256-7. 67.02.23

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1867-02-23. 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/67-02-23>, accessed August 2, 2025

2[3]/2/67
It gave me great pleasure, dear Mr Bentham, to receive your very kind letter of the 19 Dec & the finishing proofsheets of the 3. vol.
1
Bentham (1863-78), vol. 3.
I admire much your arrangement & methodical treatment of so much difficult material & you have placed by your great researches in this volume your claims on scientific acknowledgement still higher
I have freely given you my opinions on some points; requiring still extended consideration. The Diagnosis of Langes
Erechtites Muelleri

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I enclose.
2
J. Lange (1861), pp. 28-9.
An unfortunate renaming of
Diplanthera tetraphylla

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has taken place (for similar causes as led to the establishing of
Argyrodendron

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).
3
M erected
Argyrodendron

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(A. trifoliatum) in B58.03.01, p. 2; Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, p. 231, regognised it as a species of Tarrietia.
RBr in placing the genus in
Scrophularinae

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has misled us all. It is strange that he should not have remembered this peculiar form of Anthers in so many bignoniaceae. I thus only accidentally recognized the indentity of
Bulweria nobilissima

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&
Diplanthera tetraphylla

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. The genus
Deplanchea

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, as Seeman has pointed out, belongs seemingly also to this genus.
4
M erected Bulweria (B. nobilissima) in B64.11.01, p. 147. Bentham (1863-78), vol. 4, p. 541 treats it, and M's
Deplanchea

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bulwerii (B65.10.04, p. 72), as synonyms of
Diplanthera tetraphylla

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, described in R. Brown (1810), p. 449.
I have Panchers specimens & will carefully analyze them. At present I am still among Goodeniaceae, the Exhibition duties absorbing most of my time, but this very day it closes after 1[6] months engagements,
5
Intercolonial Exhibition of Australasia, Melbourne, 1866-7.
and altho' more particularly on my recommendation an industrial Museum will arise out of it, yet I hope I can work on that at leisure, if I undertake in it the administration of the phytological branch. The "Kent" sails in the middle of next week. If not by her I will send the rest of the Goodeniaceae &c by next clipper. I have forwarded some and the
Lobeliaceae

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by the Great Britain .
6
Great Britain sailed on 25 January 1867. The next box was not sent on Kent, but was sent on Wellesley on 1 April 1867. (RB MSS M44, Notebook recording despatch of plants for Bentham for Flora australiensis, Library, RBG Melbourne).
Of the limits of the genera of
Angiantheae

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we shall still get a better knowledge by additional interior explorations, as many of these little annuals are evidently as yet overlooked. Indeed many of these are only during the winter rains to be had; hence travellers may often pass over districts with new forms of these & never get the plants, even if eager for them. They evidently constitute a fe[a]ture in the flora of Central Australia.
What are your views on the elaboration of the Acotyledonous plants? The filices are easy of examination and the
Algae

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are extant in poor Harveys superb work;
7
Harvey (1858-63).
but what is to be done with
Lichens

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,
Lichenastra

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,
Musci

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,
Fungi

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,
Characeae

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? It would be well to come to some timely arrangement on the subject & to entrust the task to safe conservative workers.
The Rev. Mr Berkeley might be able to find time for fungi, but it appears to me very doubtful; I intend, if providence grants me health, to study these plants for a summer in our ranges. My own cryptogamic material is much scattered in continental collections. Still there is a good deal here & at Kew.
You will find RBr's
Monopetaleae

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doubled & tripled
I am looking forward with deep interest to the genera plantarum.
8
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83). vol. 1, part 3, was expected later in the year.
Indeed I hope you will for the sake of the Australian plants not let that far more important work come into arrear.
I have pointed out the best characters of
Oenanthe

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and proved its existence in Australia.
9
B66.12.03, p. 182.
I have done to a small extent for the Exhibition what you desire for generalisation of Australian vegetation,
10
B67.13.02; see G. Bentham to M, 19 December 1866.
but in an exhaustive manner I will do it at the close of your volumes, & combine a special little work with phytographic maps.
11
M did not publish an exhaustive outline of the vegetation as a separate volume, but see B86.13.22, at the end of which there is a note 'Abridged from an ampler Paper contributed by Baron von Mueller, K.C.M.G., M.&Ph.D., F.R.S.—Ed.'
Your regardful
Ferd Mueller