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RBG Kew, Directors' letters, vol. LXXIV, Australia letters 1851-8, letter no. 139. 54.05.27Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to William Hooker, 1854-05-27. 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/54-05-27>, accessed May 18, 2024
Botanic Garden, Melbourne
27. May 1854
Sir William,
The departure of a gentleman, who evinced much interest in our garden, to East India "per Madras" and thence home to England offers me the agreable opportunity of addressing
to you at least a few hasty lines and the manuscripts of — the descriptions of some
species, either discovered in my last expedition or formerly in South Australia. Unfortunately
my collections from the Snowy mountains have up to this date not yet arrived in Melbourne,
otherwise I would have sent at least your share of seeds.
From Dr Sonder I received at lenght his notes on my Compositae
which bear the stamp of a very careful investigation and it has been gratifiying to
me to observe, that Turczaninow and Asa Gray recognised with me the same genera independently
from each other. On Isoetopsis, Anthocerastes, Stuartina I had bestowed my own appellations
and as here wisely my synonymas (partly from 1848!) have been suppressed, I was so
much more disagreably surprised, to see even such reappear in print, which I had long
ago after a better acquaintance with the species abolished.
Many remarks were lost with the Manuscript in the wreck of the "Sir Rob Peel"
and this was the reason too, that in a later send communication, when I was not aware of the loss, Klanderia & Microlepidium appear
in the Linnaea without decription of the genera!
Certainly an unpardonable mistake of Dr Sonder, that he not omitted them, nor explained
the circumstance. In Chrysocephalum I fully coincide in Dr Hookers opinion, that all
the species of Steetz can be comprehended in two, with herbaceous and perennial [stem].
Chrysoc. pterochaetum is however difficult in its broad pappus. Pleiogyne is certainly
a superfluous genus. Brachycome melanocarpa is perennial. Cassinia and Ozothamnus
appear to me to be subgenera of one natural genus, so also Swammerdamia. Haeckeria
approaches much more to Humea than to these. Steiroglossa & Pacquerina ought, I think,
to be conferred to Brachycome.
1
Sonder (1852a).
2
See Lucas (1995) for discussion of the general problems of nomenclature arising from
M's inadequate herbarium and his collecting and labelling practices. See also Sonder (1852a), A. Gray (1852), Turczaninow (1851).
3
4
B53.04.01, pp. 426 and 371 respectively.
As you, Sir William, undoubtedly instantly observed, I fall into the enormous error
of describing Fieldia Australis as Basileophyta
Cunningham’s appendix to Fields work
is here so rare, that I was not yet enabled to get it. To redress my error I must
select now some other beautiful new genus as an humble acknowledgement of Friedrich
Augusts merits.
5
See M to W. Hooker, 18 October 1853.
6
A. Cunningham (1825).
When these lines arrive, I trust you will have recieved the box and the parcel with
specimens as well as the corresponding two sets of manuscripts, forwarded by his Excellency
Mr LaTrobe. In the communication, which I beg to forward by Mr Blair,
I am doubtful, wheather the genus Duttonia and Halothamnus are in reality new, and
placed in the right position. Your experienced master-eye will soon discriminate wheather
I have been right or wrong, and since my manuscripts are published under your auspices,
my mind is released from that anxiety for their correctness, which I formerly felt.
7
Not further identified.
Of Halothamnus and Duttonia I forward fragments now.
Of the others I will send when the alpine plants arrive, together with a great many
notes already written again, but of less interest as the species are not knew. Of
such of which no specimens are left from South Australia, Dr Sonder has order to forward
to you, those you might wish free of expense.
8
There is a note in M's hand attached to specimen K 961505:
Duttonia gibbifolia
Ferd Mueller
I hope that this fragment, all that is left after dissecting a corolla and capsule,
will be sufficient to confirm, wheather this must be considered a new genus of Verbenaceae. If so, I think my description will be true
enough to be published, altho' the only specimen I had, was in a very unsatisfactory
state.
A description appeared in B55.13.05, p. 41, under Myoporinae; the paper had been laid on the table at the meeting of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science held on 16 November 1854.
We received this day the Argan tree seeds, but are in some anxiety that your collection
of useful seeds for our garden, which you had the kindness to order for us last year,
may be lost. —
Seeds of Australian plants would be here for us extremely useful and thankfully accepted.
They require little care in our garden and would offer many an opportunity to me to
watch critical species and to describe others from living plants for my future work.
— Any specimens that you, Sir William, might have to spare to aid me in this undertaking
and any books that you consider necessary yet for me I should be glad to receive through
your bookseller.
For Dr Hooker’s Tasmanian Flora
I am really lingering.
9
J. Hooker (1860), of which the first fascicle was issued in 1855.
I conclude these hasty lines with my ardent wishes for your health, and trust that
providence will long yet enable [you]
to instruct us as you have done so many before during the last half century.
10
editorial addition
— obscured by binding strip.
I have the honor to be,
Sir William,
your most obedient and
humble servant
Ferd Mueller.
Sir W. J. Hooker, K H.
&c &c &c
Anthocerastes
Basileophyta
Brachycome melanocarpa
Cassinia
Chrysocephalum pterochaetum
Compositae
Duttonia
Fieldia Australis
Haeckeria
Halothamnus
Humea
Isoetopsis
Klanderia
Microlepidium
Ozothamnus
Pacquerina
Pleiogyne
Steiroglossa
Stuartina
Swammerdamia