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RBG Kew, Directors' letters, vol. LXXIV, Australia letters 1851-8, letter no. 147. 54.12.16a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Hooker, 1854-12-16 [54.12.16a]. 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/54-12-16a>, accessed May 18, 2024

1
For a copy of most of this letter see B55.13.09. W. Hooker's editorial changes have only been noted where they change the sense of the MS.
Omeo, 16. December 1854.
After a prosperous journey over the central part of the Australian Alps arriving at this locality, I will occupy an leisure hour or two to acquaint you briefly with the botanical part of my last researches. Altho' I wrote to you only about a month ago, when returning from Mount Wellington (in Gipps Land) I may hope, that an other communication now will not be altogether unacceptable, as Dr. Jos. Hooker's mastermind and diligent hands are now occupied in the elucidation of Tasmania’s Flora, for which a few observations on the plants lately gathered here may prove useful. —
The want of time does hardly permit me to enter into any other statements but botanical; still I shall briefly mention, that I, as the first and only white man, ascended now the two heighest summits in the Bogong Range, probably the loftiest in this continent, which will receive the names Mount Hotham and Mount LaTrobe, if his excellency the Lieutn. Governor should be pleased to sanction them. To other Snowy mountains, which my bearings will connect with those included already in the trigonometrical Survey of Australia, I beg leave to give in decent veneration to so many great men, the names "Hookers plateau, Mount Leichhardt, Kennedys height, Mitchells Highland, and Clarke's peak." The boiling water point was on the tops of Mt. Hotham and Mt. LaTrobe equally 198°F. (75°R) although the former exceeds the altitude of the other in a few hundred feet.
2
Printed version note by J. Ball: '75° Réaum = 200.75° Fahr It may therefore be presumed that the scale of his thermometer was not accurate, and it is impossible to derive any secure conclusion from such an observation. According to Professor J. D. Forbes, the reduction is very simple, being in the simple arithmetical ratio of 570 feet, (as I recollect) to 1° of Fahr. for each degree below 212° for average pressure. This would give for 198° Fahr. an altitude above the sea of 7980 English feet, but for 75° Reaum. only 6413 feet.'
This equality was of course oweing to the variation in the atmospherical pressure whilst the two observations took place.
The vegetation of this so prominent mountains can not boast of so many peculiarities, as I anticipated to find; repetitions of Tasmanian forms or of such as I had already observed in other parts of the Australian Highland were by far prevailing. Notice deserves chiefly a dwarf ranunculaceous plant, perhaps an anemone,
3
printed version has 'Caltha'; see M to W. Hooker, 22 January 1855.
Presumably Caltha introloba (B55.13.03, p. 98).
with sagittate-heartshaped leaves of which the lower extremities are inflexed in a most remarkable manner! —
And as the contemplation of everything, however insignificant, in nature can only inspire us with humble admiration of the wisdom of the divine being, so teaches also this plant that nothing in the creation is arranged without its ful reason. This Anemone has been provided with the gift of drawing the lobes of its leaves inwards, because it is growing only on the margin of the now smelting snow, in which it must be buried much longer than half a year. It was ripening at this time its fruit, and the white-sepaled flowers must be already developed like those of the snowdrops, when yet everything around is cloathed in snow. The icecold water, which flows over its root and against which the petioles are secured by a slimy tegument of decayed tissue can not reach the fresh green of the leaves by the singular direction which they assume. The furrowed scape is either very short or the always solitary flower sessile.
— If an Anemone I shall call it
Anemone introloba

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. It is accompanied by two species of
Oreobolus

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, by a Drosera with long creeping root allied to D. Arcturi (growing out of
Sphagnum

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) by a white flowering
Richea

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,
Pentachondra pumila

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,
Ranunculus Millani

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, a very fragrant Stackhousea
4
printed version has 'Stackhousia'.
(hardly rising above the ground S. pulvinaris) and other truely alpine plants.
Orites diversifolia

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, (if not a distinct sp. for I saw it never with toothed leaves) is frequent over the snowy regions of these mountains, as well as the
Calluna

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-like shrub, which may be a kind of
Schidiomyrtus

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. Of an umbelliferous genus described by Dr Hooker I possess now the first specimens; knowing it alone from Walpers work
5
Walpers (1848-71) vol. 1, p. 342. The genus referred to is probably Doplaspis. See J. Hooker (1847) p. 468.
I can not at present remember its name. A Ranunculus, I presume your Ranunc. cuneatus, grows not only along with Ran. Gunnianus but also frequently enough in an altitude considerably below that species. You may imagine, Sir William, what a hearty wellcom our old acquaintance,
Alchemilla vulgaris

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, had, when I saw a few individuals of it again here in the very heart of the Alps, namely at the sources of the Mitta Mitta, not having seen this plant again since the last 7 years, when I left my native home: with yet greater fondness I laid aside all obtainable specimens of a Veronica, not unlike V. serpillifolia, which grew here (and but here) as well as
Geum urbanum

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and
Barbarea vulgaris

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promiscuously with Alchemilla. A white-flowering
Viola

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with cordate leaves assists in the imitation of European plants but does not venture to ascend to the heigh localitites with so inclement a climate, to which the other penetrate A peculiar
Leucopogon

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and two or three
Epacris

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form also additions to the Victoria-Flora. From the lower country I obtained
Calystegia marginata

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, which I think, is more than a small-flowering variety of C. sepium;
6
printed text replaces which I think, is ... of C. sepium by which I think is only a small flowered variety of C. sepium.
farther a blue
Pigea

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or
Ionidium

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not unlike an
Utricularia

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, from the seeds of which I hope you will raise a fine additional pot plant for your garden.
Carex Preissii

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, a
Pomaderris

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, and an
Ozothamnus

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, not previously found here, are identical with V.DL sp. but a charming Boronia (B. bijuga)
7
The name
Boronia bijuga

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has not been found (APNI, accessed 28 November 2019). M described, in B55.09.03, p. 100, B. algida from these mountains, to which it is restricted in Victoria. See J. Willis (1972).
and a Pimelea (P. axillaris) seem to belong exclusively to this mountains. I have convinced myself now also, that the true "locus natalis" of
Grevillea Victoriae

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, which I saw here in all its glory, is the alps! But the fruit was only developing and I could not obtain a grain of seed from it. What an introduction to Kew Gardens, this plant, a plant that requires no protection in England and will grow along with
Ligustrum

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, Honeysuckle and
Lilac

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! — Of a rufous Prasophyllum, may be P. fimbriatum, I could not find more but a solitary specimen. In vain I was searching for the splendid Pines of Tasmania, for
Pimelea nivea

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, sericea and so many other plants, which adorn the mountains of that island. I hope to be more lucky at Mount Cosciusko, for which I now am steering. To the Cobboras I shall in passing by pay a visit again. My return to Melbourne is fixed to be in March, for I wish to deprive myself not of the society of our noble friend Dr Harvey. How happy I would be, could I find letters there then from you.
I remain, Sir William,
your most devoted srvt
Ferd. Mueller
Sir W. J Hooker Kt.
&c &c &c.
Brachycome decipiens

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I saw not here also in Omeo.