Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne, bot. Garden

3/3/68.

It will afford me great pleasure, dear Professor Lindberg, to send to so distinguished an observer as yourself any material from here for the advancement of your researches. Unfortunately at present I cannot offer much, because I have given away almost all my duplicates. But I would be willing to send you all my Australian and New Zealand mosses and Lichenastra on loan (als Darlehn

1

as a loan.

), if you desire to reexamine the material, which was worked up by Dr Hampe.

2

See C. Müller & Hampe (1853), Hampe (1856), Hampe (1856a), Hampe (1860).

In deed such new elaboration of yours might become the foundation of that portion of Benthams and my work on Australian plants, which will contain the acotyledonous orders.

3

Bentham decided that as he was not experienced in the groups, cryptogams would be not included in Flora australiensis; which was thus to be restricted to the phaenogamous plants and ferns (G. Bentham to M, 13 May 1869). M later solicited from specialists, and published within his Fragmenta, listings of cryptogamic species with his additions and comments (see B80.11.01, B81.13.12). He also prepared a MS for a systematic index that remains unpublished at MEL.

I am packing a case for Dr Regel in Petersburg, which I hope to be able to send in a few month. Supposed now I sent you the whole original collection of my mosses (not very large) would you write new diagnoses & publish them, so that they could be used by Bentham and myself? I think you might finish such a revision very well in one winter and then you could send me the specimens back, retaining such as can be spared for your collection. I need hardly say, that I shall be most happy to receive any mosses & Lichenastra named by so celebrated man as yourself.