The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 25/8/90 ¶ ¶ It is with sorrow, dear Mr Dyer, that I hear of your ailing. Somehow aged persons, like myself, cannot imagine, that the younger can be ill, and as you seem to have a strong constitution,...

Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1882-90, ff. 325-6. 90.08.25a

Plant names

Acrotriche
Search for Acrotriche in
Alsophila Capensis
Search for Alsophila Capensis in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Alsophila Rebeccae
Search for Alsophila Rebeccae in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Bambusa
Search for Bambusa in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Exocarya scleroides
Search for Exocarya scleroides in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Humea
Search for Humea in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Lepistemon urceolatus
Search for Lepistemon urceolatus in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Livistona Mariae
Search for Livistona Mariae in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Monotoca
Search for Monotoca in
Prionotes cerinthoides
Search for Prionotes cerinthoides in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Schoenus
Search for Schoenus in
Scleria
Search for Scleria in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Telopea oreades
Search for Telopea oreades in

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Thiselton-Dyer, 1890-08-25 [90.08.25a]. 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/90-08-25a>, accessed September 11, 2025

25/8/90

Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 29. Sep. 90. Annotated in red pencil by Thiselton-Dyer(?): W W [i.e. William Watson] and in pencil And 22.10.90 (letter not found).

It is with sorrow, dear Mr Dyer, that I hear of your ailing. Somehow aged persons, like myself, cannot imagine, that the younger can be ill, and as you seem to have a strong constitution, and as you were on the way of recovery, I anticipate, that you are now quite well again for the full advantage of the great Institution, which you administrate, and for all benefits of those dear to you.

Replying seriatim to your kind letter

Letter not found.

I like first to say, that the question, regarding the Livistona, shall be further followed up. In Victoria the two places, in which this palmgenus is represented, has become lately accessible. I will report progress on this inquiry from time to time, so far my results may go. Have you growing with its copper-colored young foliage?

Have you … foliage in left margin of f. 325 back, with intended position indicated by asterisk.

Probably the specimen of the alpine of New Guinea was very poor for Kew. I had little of it.

attains in deep forest-ravines of Gippsland

Vic.

a great hight, where reaches to 40 feet. Places for exuberance of growth occur similarly in Tasmania, for instance in the deep gullies at South-Port, where

is underlined, and annotated beneath the name, ask for seeds, in red pencil, by Thiselton-Dyer(?).

will gain a height of 30'!

The little disturbance in my relation to Mr Bailey has passed, and I give him again such help, as I can, though I cannot always leave urgent work in my multifariously taxed Department, to attend to any questions of his at once . I have to use great caution in accepting his determining of plants, and therefore must carefully reinvestigate in each case. Lately he published as new a ,

ustulata, Bailey (1890), p. 81.

but I found and informed him, that it is He describes a from leaves alone, which I could have done long ago therefore the genus is not fixed.

when I … ago written in central margin of f, 326, with intended position indicated by asterisks. moreheadiana, Bailey (1889), p. 71.

Such data I cannot accept for the Census.

B89.12.03.

He persists even in latest prints, notwithstanding my remonstrance, to make an a ; but he has at last become convinced, that his is A. Rebeccae!

See M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 27 March 1890. Bailey (1889), p. 74, listed Alsophila rebeccae as the most abundant tree-fern on Mt Bellenden Ker. Meston (1889), p. 110, in his general commentary on the Mt Bellenden Ker expedition, mentioned that Bailey reported seeing lineata, otherwise known from Tasmania; the species was also listed as a Qld plant in Bailey (1890a), p. 28. In B89.12.03, p. 177, M retained both and within his concept of Styphelia (into which without explanation in B80.13.10, p. 11 he had recombined lineata); thus it has not been possible to determine his criteria for the distinction between the two.

— I should not think the identification of the African, the American and the Asiatic safe, until the stems have been compared side to side. With your great resources, you would likely be able, to get stems from the three continents.

Best thanks for the new numbers of your important Bulletin.

Kew Bulletin of miscellaneous information.

I will send by next mail a specimen of .

See M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 6 April 1890 (in this edition as 90-04-06a).

The ingenious amputation-system of cycadeous stems, partly decayed, is quite a novel achievement in horticulture. I have introduced here lately mirr ors in horticutural shows and in conservatories. I was not aware, that I was forestalled in Belgium. It is impossible to read many horticultural journals, [and] medicine, chemistry, geography always have to be attended to also.

It is impossible … also written in margin of f. 326, back , with intended position indicated by an asterisk.

I have grown quite impatient about the University-honor. Perhaps while I write, the due homage is offered you.

See M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 18 July 1890 (in this edition as 90-07-18a).

With regardful remembrance

always your

Ferd. von Mueller

I never saw a note about mirrors in the Gardeners Chronicle, but may have overlooked such.

See M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 27 March 1890.