Document information

Physical location:

Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide, SA. 83.02.06

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Ralph Tate, 1883-02-06. 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/83-02-06>, accessed September 11, 2025

6/2/83.
Only a few lines, dear Prof. Tate, to say, that I have critically and carefully examined a Cuscuta, obtained by Mr Chr Giles
1
Christopher Giles.
some years ago near Lady Charlotte's Waters,
2
i.e. Charlotte waters, SA.
and find it a 3- or 4-merous var. of C. australis. A similar form is known from S. Europe, not separate from the typical plant as a species; this was well shown by Engelmann.
3
A specimen was also sent with M to G. Engelmann, 7 February 1883 (in this edition as 83-02-07a). The reference is to Engelmann (1859), pp. 492-3.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
You may be quite right as regards the Hypoxides. I took the small one for the true H.
4
Hypoxis .
glabella, because RBr. says of it in the prodromus expressly "scapo medio bi bracteolato".
5
R. Brown (1810), p. 289.
Hence Schlechtendal in 1846 took the larger plant of Dr Behrs collection from Tanunda as a new species, and named it H. vaginata, and in this way I disposed of both for years, til I thought it was best to unite the two, just as I joined H. pratensis to H hygrometrica.
6
Both unifications in B67.12.01, p.96.
A crucial test for the validity would be the examination of the ripe seeds . We have a similar case with Arthropodium minus & A. paniculatum.
7
For discussion, see B70.1.01, pp. 66-7.
Arthropodium minus
Arthropodium paniculatum
Cuscuta
Hypoxis glabella
Hypoxis hygrometrica
Hypoxis pratensis
Hypoxis vaginata