The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 6/10/86 ¶ Dear Mr Bailey ¶ ¶ I have examined the Vallisneria ( ¶ ♀ ¶ only), sent by you, ¶ and would advise to try, to obtain through Dr Bancroft jun. or one of his friends at Carpentaria ¶ a good...

Document information

Physical location:

B202 Bailey inward correspondence, Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW, Sydney. 86.10.06

Plant names

Bancroftia
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Blyxa
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Vallisneria caulescens
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- Australian Plant Name Index
Vallisneria spiralis
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Frederick Bailey, 1886-10-06. 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/86-10-06>, accessed September 11, 2025

6/10/86

Dear Mr Bailey

I have examined the Vallisneria (♀ only), sent by you,

Bailey's letter registers record that it was sent on 27 September 1886 (in this edition as 86-09-27a).

and would advise to try, to obtain through Dr Bancroft jun. or one of his friends at Carpentaria

Thomas Bancroft had found the plant at a lagoon some 100 km west of Normanton, near the Gulf of Carpentaria in Qld

a good set of specimens of this plant, both ♂ & ♀ and with ripe fruit the male likely near the root. Meanwhile it might be called , and as I spent some time on this plant, perhaps it might be named under our united authority.

was described under the names of Bailey and M in Bailey (1888), p. 56.

The main differences from the V. spiralis are 1, the development of a foliate stem, though I have seen occasionally also stolones on V. spiralis, 2, the pointed apex of the young fruit (offering a slight approach to , 3, some difference in the anatomic structure of the leaves. The male flowers and ripe fruits, may prove this however a new genus. There should be not much difficulty in refinding the plant, as Dr B. is almost sure to remember the precise locality, and he could send specimens by post. By way of encouragement you might mention to Dr B., that if his plant proved a new genus, it could be called , the Jamaica-genus of that name having collapsed.

As there is not the slightest necessity of hurrying this plant on very imperfect data through the press, I would advise, to defer public reference to it at all events for a few months, so as to give Dr B. a chance to procure a good supply of ♂ & ♀ fl. & rip[e] fruits, also a root & to s[end] notes on length of plan[t] &c Perhaps he could put some separate flowers in a little phial of alcohol.

Regardfully your

Ferd von Mueller

I shall only make rapid progress with Papuan pl. after Christmas when the "Key" will be out

Have read Rev. J. T. Woods remarks on Minerals in Perak

Woods (1884)?

with much [...]

A line partly obscured on MS by archival tape.