Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M198, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 85.11.09

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Otto Tepper, 1885-11-09. 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/85-11-09>, accessed September 10, 2025

9/11/85
Für ganz Australien, lieber Herr Tepper, nehme ich nur eine wirkliche Art im genus
Epilobium

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an. Es mögen vielleicht mehrere Urformen bestanden haben, dann aber sind solche durch fruchtbare Bastardformen ganz erloschen, wie dies meine Sammlung von über 100 Ex von den höchsten Alpen bis zur Wüstenregion zeigt.
Ihre Dampiera ist eine Form von D. lanceolata.
Die Orchidee will ich genau untersuchen; sie ist fast verblüht; könnte Mr Horswill, dem ich Sie dediciren möchte, vielleicht aus eigner Sammlung ein jüngeres Ex liefern? Ist sein Name Horswell oder Harswill?
Bestens grüssend
der Ihre
Ferd. von Mueller.
Ich habe die Orchidee zergliedert; sie scheint nur eine Varietät von Thelymitra fusco-lutea zu sein, obwohl die Blumen röthlich sind; es fehlt aber das Blatt ; überhaupt sollte Mr Horswill immer bessere Ex. sammeln; er giebt sich offenbar keine besondere Mühe in der Sache u macht dem, der seine Planzen untersuchen soll unnöthig vermehrte Arbeit.
9/11/85
For the whole of Australia, dear Mr Tepper, I accept only one true species in the genus
Epilobium

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.
1
The example of
Epilobium

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species limits was used in B64.10.02, pp. 15-16, as part of M's argument concerning the importance of environmentally induced variability in his rejection of Darwin's ideas concerning speciation; see Lucas (2010).
P erhaps several primitive forms may have existed, but then they became extinct through fertile hybrids, as my collection of over 100 specimens from the highest alps to the desert regions shows.
Your Dampiera is a form of D. lanceolata.
I shall investigate the orchid carefully; it has almost ceased flowering; could Mr Horswill, to whom I would like to dedicate it, perhaps supply a younger specimen from his own collection? Is his name Horswell or Harswill?
2
No species of plant named for either of these variants, or Horsnell as suggested by George (2009), has been found (APNI, accessed 31 December 2019).
Best greetings
Your
Ferd. von Mueller.
I have dissected the orchid; it seems to be only a variety of Thelymitra fusco-lutea, although the flowers are reddish; but it lacks the leaf ; generally Mr Horswill should always collect better specimens; obviously he does not take pains in the matter and makes unnecessarily increased work for him who is to investigate his plants.
3
M made the same complaint in M to O. Tepper, 21 September 1885 (in this edition as 85-09-21b) and M to O. Tepper, 16 March 1886 (in this edition as 86-03-16a).