Document information

Physical location:

90.09.00e

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1890-09 [90.09.00e]. 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/90-09-00e>, accessed May 10, 2025

1
File not found. The text given here is from 'The Banyan tree of the Staaten River', Gardeners' chronicle , 8 November 1890, p. 526 (B90.11.01). It is dated to September as the latest likely date that it could have been sent to have been reported in this issue.
The Carpentaria settlements have recently become extended to the Staaten River,
2
On the western side of Cape York, Qld.
one of the first discovered in Australia by the Dutch. Here there has been found a Fig tree of vast dimensions by the occupant of the pastoral area, Mr. Joseph O'Reilly, and which I have, in consequence, named Ficus O'Reillyana.
3
No other publication of this name has been found (APNI, accessed 12 February 2021). There is a specimen collected in 1890 by 'Mr. O'Reilley' from Staaten River, MEL 2211333, with M's label, 'Ficus O'Reilleyana | Staaten-River | E shores of Carpentaria | 1890', now treated as an unidentified species of Ficus. There is a second specimen collected by 'J. O'Reilley', MEL 2209074, with M's label 'Ficus O'Reilliana F.v.M | Staten-River | 1891', identified as Ficus virens var. sublanceolata, a combination made in 1960.
The lowest branches of the individual tree, of which a sketch is enclosed,
4
Sketch not found.
start at about 6 feet from the ground, and extend on all sides to about 45 feet, the total height of the tree being 65 feet. The leaves and fruits (receptacles) are much smaller than those of
Ficus Bengalensis

Search for Ficus Bengalensis in

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5
Ficus benghalensis ?
F. colossea, and F. Mysorensis; the intertwined air-roots join the main stem, as in the last-mentioned species. The aboriginal name of this Ficus is Yonnigaro!
Ferd. v. Mueller, Melbourne.