Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller. 1871-81, ff. 336-7. 81.10.20

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Hooker, 1881-10-20. 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/81-10-20>, accessed December 4, 2024

20/10/81.
I write a sort of duplicate letter, dear Sir Joseph, concerning poor Dr Cooke.
1
Mordecai Cooke; see M to J. Hooker, 8 October 1881.
As a medical Gentleman you will know, what the end of his sufferings will be, unless he has a long & total change from Museum work to openair-occupation. Sadly do I feel this daily myself, after I had to quit my garden! Unless, as in the instance of Dr Cooke, the recuperative power of the system of a man, already beyond the zenith of his life, is brought into full play, his chances for resumation of long & trying work in the Museum will be very poor. If however you could manage, to send him to Central-America, not to the lowland-jungles, but to the healthy upland-country, he would do wonders for Mycology, and get simultaneously his system thoroughly invigorated. Remember, that this would be the first instance of a special Mycologist working outside of Europe!
Through Berkeley you have probably already the largest collection of fungs at Kew, unless Fries’s collection should be larger; how much would that be increased at Kew, by a few months wanderings of Dr Cooke in the tropics.
In a single Census of Australian genera, now under print,
2
B82.13.08.
I have placed
Antennaria nubigena

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under Leontopodium. You seem to have seen only its one state; it is dimorphic, & thus bridges over the chasm between Antennaria & Leontopodium, especially as DC's
Antennaria leontopodina

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, gathered by Royle, yourself & Turczaninow, is only a form of
Leontopodium alpinum

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. I am just looking over the New Zealand
Raoulia

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s to see, whether any can be transferred like wise to Leontopodium or (if you prefer) Antennaria.
3
See B82.13.12, where M discusses the history of the systematics of the species.
I wrote on this subject to Prof. Asa Gray some years ago.
4
M to A. Gray, 18 October 1858 (in this edition as 58-10-18a).
I am trying to get an other stem of
Macrozamia Moorei

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to Kew, to ensure the growth there of this superb plant.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
How glad I am, that the sad tidings concerning Bentham from Planchon and Caruell are not confirmed.
5
See M to J. Hooker, 19 September 1881 (in this edition as 81-09-19a) and J. Hooker to M, 9 November 1881.
I am reminded how the elder Agassiz's life was prolonged by his voyages up the Amazon River. He wrote to me himself then;
6
Letter not found.
he had many fishes from me.
We have here now a branch of the British Medical Association, and this I have joined.
Kindly help me by giving me a clue of any recent writings on Polynesian plants.
7
See M to J. Hooker, 7 October 1881, and notes thereto.