The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Sunday ¶ ¶ Now I have ascertained beyond doubt, dear Prof. Tate, that the Tribulus from the vicinity of Mt Sonder ¶ is ¶ T. astrocarpus ¶ . Had Mr Tietken's people gone to the slightest trouble abo...

Document information

Physical location:

Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide. 90.05.18

Plant names

Eriocaulon
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Helipterum Fitzgibboni
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- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Polymeria
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- Australian Plant Name Index
Tribulus astrocarpus
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- Australian Plant Name Index
Tribulus bicolor
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- Australian Plant Name Index

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Ralph Tate, 1890-05-18. 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/90-05-18>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS black-edged; M's brother-in-law George Doughty died on 26 March 1890

Sunday

Letter dated by reference to M to F. McCoy, 21 May 1890, in which M said he had been unable to attend the Parliamentary dinner the previous evening, i.e. Tuesday 20 May, because he had already been committed ‘to deliver my annual adress before the litterary Association of the W. Melb presbyterian Church’.

Now I have ascertained beyond doubt, dear Prof. Tate, that the Tribulus from the vicinity of Mt Sonder

NT.

is T. astrocarpus . Had Mr Tietken's people gone to the slightest trouble about looking for the fruit, we here would have recognized the species at a glance. As it is, it took some time, because the plant in its flowering and leafy state approaches closely to T. bicolor.

It is with regret, that I cannot send you more information this day; but I have been much harrassed in the Department lately by a multitude of work, and feel not at all well; indeed I feel, as if I would like to lay down for a whole day in the bed! In this prostration I have even to prepare for as Patron my annual 1½ hours discourse at the litterary Association of the W. Melb. presbyt. Church on the evening after to morrow. I will however try, to settle the , , Helipterum (H. Fitzgibboni) in the course of this week carefully, before I commence any other phytographic work. I presume a few more days delay will make no great difference in the printing arrangements there.

See B90.14.03, a version of which had been read to the Royal Society of South Australia on 1 April 1890; the published version lists the Tribulus and Helipterum species and also describes new species, pp. 107-9, but graphititum is listed without description on pp. 95, 106.

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller