Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew Correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-1870, ff. 349. 68.11.06a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Hooker, 1868-11-06 [68.11.06a]. 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/68-11-06a>, accessed September 11, 2025

[6]/11/68
1
The date is unclear; it appears to be 6 written over 2.
I have to thank you, dear Dr Hooker, for a precious present of the volume of poor Harvey's genera.
2
Harvey (1868). A copy in the Library of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is inscribed by J. Hooker: “Dr Mueller FRS | With the Editors sincere Regards’. No covering letter from Hooker to M has been found.
I cultivate here so many South African plants, that the volume is to me of enormous value. The medaillon of your lamented father I shall place with my best treasures.
3
Hooker had sent M a Wedgwood medallion of his father. M subsequently gave it, along with a number of his medals, to the Public Library; see M to R. Barry, 5 September 1872. The medallion is now at the Melbourne Museum (registration no. NU 33524).
I have also to acknowledge the receipt of a print of your ingenious adress, delivered in the proud position from the Chair at Nottingham.
4
The reference to Nottingham implies that M is referring to Hooker's lecture on ‘Insular floras’ delivered on 27 August 1866 at the Nottingham Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science; Hooker was one of the Vice-Presidents of the Association for 1866-67 and also a Vice-President of Section D — Biology. The lecture was not published as part of the report of that meeting but was abstracted at length in Journal of botany, vol. 5, pp. 23-31 (1 January 1867). It was also printed in parts in the Gardener's chronicle as J. Hooker (1867), and many years later issued as a pamphlet, J. Hooker (1896) (see Williamson (2008)).
Some years go I removed (in a note in the Fragmenta) the S African
Trichinium

Search for Trichinium in

from the true Australian species, with which it is not congeneric.
5
M’s reference, to
Trichinium

Search for Trichinium in

zeyheri from South Africa, is under Psilotrichum capitatum (B59.12. 02, p. 238). See also Bentham (1863-78), vol. 5, p 217.
I had occasion to examine a Zeyherian specimen.
6
That is, one collected by Carl Ludwig Philipp Zeyher.
It is curious, that the
Eucalyptus polyanthemos

Search for Eucalyptus polyanthemos in

from warm low land localities should live through a British winter, when alpine species perish. I believe a valley in the South of England would suit all these plants. Perhaps geological conditions have also to be studied.
Of your waterplants only
Nymphaea alba

Search for Nymphaea alba in

&
Nuphar luteum

Search for Nuphar luteum in

have as yet grown. — I cannot but think however, that all others would finally be raised, if we persevere, because the seed is not always fertile or the locality of culture not always in first instance correctly chosen.
Of
Rubus

Search for Rubus in

I have 7 species through your kindness, but scarcely one of your willows arrived safely.
7
See M to J. Hooker, 23 March 1866 (in this edition as 66-03-23a), and M to J. Hooker, 20 August 1866 (in this edition as 66-08-20b).
A case with plants for Mr Bentham is almost ready, but the Great Horticultural Exhibition here
8
The Horticultural Society of Victoria’s annual garden show was held in the Botanic Garden, 7-10 November 1868, with a major exhibit supplied by the Garden itself; see Argus, 10 November 1868, p. 7.
& other extrawork has deprived me of time for phytographic studies recently.
your attached
Ferd von Mueller