Document information

Physical location:

GRG 19/391, State Records of South Australia, Adelaide. 90.08.24

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Maurice Holtze, 1890-08-24. 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/90-08-24>, accessed May 9, 2025

24/8/90.
Ihre Habenaria N.1060, lieber Herr Holtze, ist H. trinervis, Wight; auch N 799 gehört dazu. Ich will versuchen in nächster Zeit Ihre Habenaria-Arten alle durchzuarbeiten, aber die Sache ist zeitnehmend, denn die vielen indischen Arten müssen verglichen werden.
Hoffend bald wieder Nachrichten von Ihnen zu haben
Ihr
Ferd. von Mueller
Mr O'Reilley, ein Squatter am Staaten River, bot mir an, dass er einen Sammler von Normanton abholen und dann beherbergen wolle, wenn ich Jemand senden könnte. Aber die Ausgabe würde zu gross sein, um solche Reise von hier aus zu machen: Die Gegend ist botanisch gänzlich unbekannt, da R Br. nicht zur Ostküste des Carpentaria-Golfs kam. Können Sie sich los machen, es würde Ihnen ja wenig kosten, da Sie so nah sind. Sie könnten dann den wunderbar colossalen Ficus O'Reilleyana für Ihren Garten gewinnen, auch viele Orchideen und andere Pflanzen-Schätze. Oder Ihr Sohn könnte vielleicht eine Weile dahin fahren.
Schreiben Sie doch, ehe Ihnen Jemand zuvor kommt an Mr Joseph O'Reilley in Mentana via Normanton
24/8/90.
Your Habenaria No. 1060, dear Mr Holtze, is H. trinervis Wight; No. 799
1
The specimen with record number 1060 is undated; 799 is dated 1888, although Holtze often used the same number for specimens he apparently thought to be the same species when subsequently collected (AVH, accessed 2 June 2020). M to M. Holtze, 31 August 1890, includes discussion of and questions about this and other Habenaria species.
also belongs to it. I will try to work through all your Habenaria species in the near future but it is a very time-consuming task because the many Indian species have to be compared.
Hoping to have news from you again soon
your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Mr O'Reilley,
2
Joseph O'Reilly.
a squatter at the Staaten River,
3
Qld.
offered to me to pick up a collector from Normanton and then give him accommodation, if I could send somebody. But the expense would be too great to make such a journey from here . The area is completely unknown botanically, as Robert Brown did not go to the eastern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
4
Investigator, with Robert Brown aboard, passed through the Great Barrier Reef on 20 October 1802 to gain the open sea, and then skirted the reef northward to Torres Strait; see Flinders (1814), vol. 2, pp. 100-19. Collections were then made by 'the botanical gentlemen' on Good's Island (now Goode Island) on 2 November; see R. Brown (2001), pp. 297-300. Brown next collected c. 130 km further south, near what is now Pennefather River, on the eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria (R. Brown (2001), pp. 302-7). This is the only point on that coast at which Brown collected, although collections were made from the islands in the Gulf as the mainland shore was mapped. The next mainland landings were near the north-western shore of the Gulf.
Could you make yourself available? It would not cost you much, as you are so close.
5
While the Staaten River is a lot closer to Darwin, where Holtze was based, than it is to Melbourne, it is still over 1,500 km away!
You would then be able to obtain the wonderful, colossal Ficus O'Reilleyana
6
The only published use of this name found is M to the Gardeners' chronicle, September 1890 (in this edition as 90-09-00e).
for your Garden, also many orchids and other plant treasures. Or perhaps your son could go there for a while.
Do write to Mr Joseph O'Reilley at Mentana via Normanton, before someone else beats you to it.