Document information

Physical location:

Linnean Society, London, Guard Book 1885-93, p. 254. 91.12.25b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to B. Daydon Jackson, 1891-12-25 [91.12.25b]. 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/91-12-25b>, accessed August 14, 2025

1
Annotations:
Reply see letter book [Letter book has not been found in the Linnean Society archives].
Vahea m.t. 169 [Lamarck (1791-1823), plate 169. The volume with plates 1–250 is dated 1823 on the title page].
tabl ii 292 (“1793”)—vol comp in 1800 [Lamarck (1791-1823), vol. 2, p. 292].
gummiifera
Poir Ency Supp v. 409 (1817) [Poiret (1810-17), vol. 5, p. 409].
Christmas 1891
Kindly say, dear Mr Jackson, whether Lamarck in the illustrations des genres” gave specific names ? That work is not in my library here. On this question, which I put, rests the validity or invalidity of the genus Vahea.
2
M had been concerned with this example of priority for some time. See M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 10 September 1881 and notes thereto; see also B82.09.01.
I do not agree with Dr. Kuntze and some other phytographers in falling back on genera unsupported by specific names . Thus for instance in combining Cladium and Gahnia, for which measure the necessity is indubitable, the finally admissible name for
Cladium Mariscus

Search for Cladium Mariscus in

can only be
Gahnia Mariscus

Search for Gahnia Mariscus in

.
3
M combined Cladium and Gahnia without explanation in B88.11.02. p. 104.
I also hold that whenever an author combines two genera, he becomes the only authority for the additionally admitted species, so far as well known up to that time though he may not have mentioned the species distinctly — otherwise we get for authorship the shadow instead of the substance and in this respect no favoritism should be exercised.
with best Festive greeting your
Ferd. von Mueller
Alph. D. C. distinctly quotes the specific name of gummifera for Lamarck in the prodromus
4
A. de Candolle (1844), p. 327, citing Lamarck’s plate 169.
.
For
Coronopus Ruelli

Search for Coronopus Ruelli in

Ges[ne]r
5
End of name obscured by ink-blot.
was already the author.
6
For Coronopus … author. Is a marginal note on the front of the folio.
B. Jackson (1895), vol. 1, part 1, p. 620 attributed Coronopus ruellii to Allioni (1785), vol.1, p. 256; Coronopus ruelli was listed in Cordus et al. (1561), p. 254 (of which Conrad von Gesner was the editor of Cordus's annotations on Dioscorides's plants: see TL2 under Valerius Cordus).