Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1871-81, f. 186. 76.09.26

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1876-09-26. 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/76-09-26>, accessed September 11, 2025

26/9/76.
The
Gramineae

Search for Gramineae in

, dear Mr Bentham, will go to you by the Lord Warden , which Ship will very soon leave our Port. They will be two large boxes. I got the box with
Liliaceae

Search for Liliaceae in

safely back.
Your notes on
Restiaceae

Search for Restiaceae in

interested me much.
1
Restiaceae

Search for Restiaceae in

were treated in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 7, pp. 208-46, but the notes M mentions have not been found, and could not be included in sheets of the relevant pages as vol. 7 was sent to press early in 1877 and Bentham had not received any proofs by April (G. Bentham to M, 30 April 1877).
The short phrases of R Brown were to me often enigmatic and misleading. At the whole, notwithstanding the high and well deserved praise of the prodromus,
2
R. Brown (1810); for
Restiaceae

Search for Restiaceae in

, see pp. 243-57.
that praise is more bestowable on the generic & ordinal notes than on the specific phrases.
What a labour could I have saved myself, had I come for a six month to London to look on R Brown's plants. This should not be forgotten when any short-comings of mine come under review. In my isolated and helpless position no one would likely have done better, and many far worse.
I admire your zeal & continued unimpaired energy, and wished only that you could concentrate it on the "genera".
3
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83).
I purchased a copy of that profound work.
Regardfully
Ferd. von Mueller.
I have never yet seen even the print of Drude's & Wendlands Palms of mine.
4
Wendland & Drude (1875). See M to G. Bentham, 28 November 1876, for M's note of the arrival of the paper and his disagreement with the treatment of the generic limits of the palms.
Did you write to the latter for my specimens. Up to date I do not know what became of them.
With deep regards
Ferd. von Mueller.