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RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1882-90, ff. 302-3. 90.02.18

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Thiselton-Dyer, 1890-02-18. 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/90-02-18>, accessed September 11, 2025

18/2/90
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Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 21. Mar. 90. Annotated by Thiselton-Dyer: And 13.7.90. (letter not found.)
A few hurried lines only, dear Mr Dyer, to say:
1, that the Livistona of Gipps-Land is undoubtedly L. australis. The shape of the leaves alters somewhat in age; thus you will likely find, that the two plants, to which you refer as cultivated, are not of equal height and therefore not of equal age. The two other spec., mentioned by RBr., are probably both forms of one and must be intratropic solely.
2, the
Schoenus curvulus

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, referred by Mr Clarke,
2
C. B. Clarke had named specimens of Cyperaceae that M had sent to Kew, see M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 November 1889.
to S. indutus, is not likely identical with it, as they belong to two phytogeographically very distinct regions . S. indutus is exclusively W. Australian, where also the endemismus
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endemism.
of the
Cyperoideae

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is so extensively developed. In the essay on Sir W. Macgregor's plants,
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i.e. MacGregor; B89.13.11.
p 36, I compared it to S laxus, which likewise belongs to a rather frigid mountain region, while S. indutus is a species of warm and even hot lowlands.
3, that you have not received specimens of all the kinds of plants, gathered on the highlands of New Guinea, (very few being brought from the lowlands, except ferns and some from the Louisiades
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Archipelago SE of New Guinea.
), is explained by the paucity and fragmentary state of them, particularly also the
Rhododendron

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s. I thought it therefore best, to keep the scanty material together with a view of lithographic delineations being prepared; but that can only be done, after the Atlas of the
Salsolaceae

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6
Decades 3-6 of this work were published in 1890 (B90.13.14), but the final Decades, 7-9, did not appear until 1891 (B91.13.24).
shall have been completed, that work being urgently wanted for rural purposes.
Regardfully your
always
Ferd von Mueller
4. If you have not
Livistona Mariae

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7
Livistona Mariae

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is underlined in blue pencil. W. Watson has annotated the adjcent margin in ink : We have small plants from seeds recd in 1886 Can he send a large plant? W. W.
living plants can be sent from here.
Just real traces of Leichhardt discovered after 42 years!
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See D. Lewis (2013), pp 182-9, and M to A. Supan, February 1890 (in this edition as 90-02-00).
Our geogr. branch here is sending out at once a party, to bring in yet available relics, and to learn more of the terrible catastrophe from the natives, the members of the expedition having died successively from thirst !