Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from B72.01.01, pp. 8-9. The letter is dated to 1871 on the basis that that is the latest year that Giglioli could have written for M's manuscript to be published on 1 January 1872 (note on p. 1 of the volume). It is introduced by:

Having for several years entertained the view that Albizzia and Pithecolobium ought to be merged into one genus, distinct from the legitimate Acacia only in the concrescence of the stamens, it became necessary to ascertain to which of the two above generic appellations real priority was due. This question could not be solved here, where the comparatively scanty material of our young libraries and museums, however creditable it may be, affords, as yet, for researches of this kind, but very imperfect aid; and I was thus induced to ask my illustrious friend Dr. Giglioli, of Florence, the well-known naturalist of the 'Magenta,' to trace out in the Florentine libraries the precise origin of the genus Albizzia and its first record. Although surrounded with multifarious literary work, emanating from his travels, he entered, aided by Dr. Beccari, most obligingly on this task, and the information afforded me is so complete and important, that I offer it at length in his own words: —.

The founder of the genus in question, Dottor Antonio Durazzini, was a Florentine, who lived and wrote in the latter half of the last century. His description of the genus Albizzia which, by the way, is dedicated to an old and noble family, the Albizzi, was read before the still existing Society of the Georgofili,

2

Accademia Reale dei Georgiofili, Florence.

and his communication bears the following title: — 'Memoria sull' albero detto volgarmente Julibrissin, letta il dì 5 Agosto 1772, nella Società de' Georgofili dal Sig. Dott. Antonio Durazzini, Socio onorario di tale Accademia.' It is published in the Magazzino Toscano, tomo iii., parte iv., o sia volume duodecimo, in Firenze, appresso Pietro Gaetano Viviani, MDCCLXXII. The Magazzino was a scientific and literary journal, very little known, and, I suppose, rare to get at now out of Florence. The author begins (at p. 1) with a very prolix introduction, and gives a long, but superficial account of the Julibrissin plant, states how it was introduced into Tuscany from Constantinople in 1749, by the Knights of Santo Stephano, and relates how it became successfully cultivated, citing also a notice given of the same plant by Leonard Plukenet in his 'Phytographia.' He then goes on to say, what exact place his plant ought to occupy in the Linnaean system, and proposes to make it the type of a new genus, Albizzia, as a member of that illustrious family was one of the first who introduced it into Tuscany. At p. 11, he gives the following specific diagnosis:— 'Julibrissin Albizia inermis, foliis bipinnatis, floribus spicatis, centrali ceteris longiore. Acacia non spinosae Wagae Malabaricae similis e Madaraspatan,' Pluk. Phyt t. i. f. 4.*

3

M's footnote reads: 'It seems open to grave doubts whether Plukenet's figure really belongs to Albizzia Julibrissin, because the drawing shows the leaflets absolutely blunt, without any trace of apiculus; their nerve is remote from the anterior margin; the leaflets, moreover, are not quite sessile nor truncate at the base, while flowers and fruits are wanting to support the identity of the plant.'

The figure in Plukenet (1691), vol. 1, Tab. 1, fig. 4, is of foliage only, with one magnified leaflet, captioned 'Acaciae ō Spinosa Wagae. Malabar. …'.

At p. 13 the author gives the following generic diagnosis : — Albizia. Acacia Plukenetii Julibrissin. Flos aggregatus; floscula non ultra 20. Calix: perianthium monophyllum, quinque-partitum, laeve, citrinum, breve. Corolla monopetala, infundibuliformis, quinquefida, citrina; tubus cylindraceus, longus, rectus, calici adhaerens; limbus non multum patens, quinque-partitus, acutus. Stamina: filamenta plus minus viginti, receptaculo adnata, capillaria, intra tubum monadelpha, cylindrum efformantia, corolla triplo longiora, versus apicem purpurascente colore. Antherae incumbentes, rotundae, colore viridi. Pistillum: germen oblongum, planum, acutum; stylus filiformis, staminibus longior, concolor; stigma acutissimum. Pericarpium: siliqua longissima, plana, marginibus undulatis, apice rostrato, seminibus juxta medium longitudinaliter dispositis. Semina pauca, plana, utrimque acuminata, novem circiter. Folia duplicato-pinnata, 15-jugia, paria. Foliola plana, sessilia, altero margine curvo, altero recto, apice acuto; paria non ultra triginta.

4

M reported, p. 8, that Giglioli sent a tracing of the plate accompanying the description.