Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M5, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 90.04.07

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Frederick Bailey to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1890-04-07. 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/90-04-07>, accessed September 11, 2025

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MS found with a specimen of Exocarya sclerioides (MEL 2199564). Attached to the sheet are a later Queensland Herbarium label 'Exocarya sclerioides Benth | Co-type of
Scleria ustulata

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F. M Bailey ', and Bailey's note 'Inclosed find Sample of the Southern Plant F.M.B.'. Bailey described it as
Scleria ustulata

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in Bailey (1890), p. 81.
MS annotations by M: 'Answ 14/6/90' [letter not found] and 'Exocarya scleroides, Bentham’.
Colonial Botanists Office
William Street
Brisbane
April 7th 1890
My dear Baron
So far as I am able to make out; the Sedge no […]
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Space left blank in MS.
is a new species of Scleria, and I purpose describing it under the name of S. ustulata or something similar on account of the scorched appearance of the spikelets. I only met with it on the Bellenden Ker Range at an altitude of 4-to-5,000 ft. but it is evidently identical with one which was sent to me by a correspondent on the Tweed River
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i. e. Mr T. Steel, who is listed as the collector on the labels on the specimen from the Tweed River, BRI-AQ341588.
some 5 to 6 years ago — but as you know I only wish to attend to the Queensland flora I took no steps to describe it as a new species at the time. Even, now, you my
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may?
think me presumptuous to name a fresh species of a genus containing over one hundred species when not half of these have I
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a?
description however our plants must be named even at the risk of now and again a mistake being made you will I am sure agree with me thus far.
My friend Dr Chas. Prentice points out to me that the new
Dimeria glabrescens

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had better be changed to D. glabiuscula which I shall do. I am much afraid that several of the large fruit bearing trees of the district will have to waite determination until I receive flowering specimens. when I forwarded specimens of them to you I was in hopes that your collector Sayers
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W.A. Sayer.
might have furnished you with the flowering portions, in going over them if I can make them out however I will at once let you know as now the results.
yours very truly
F. M. Bailey
Inclosed find Sample of the Southern Plant
F.M.B.