Melbourne bot Garden
15 Febr. 1958.
Much esteemed Sir
Being extremely anxious to extend the contributions for this garden for mutual exchange
to all the principle gardens of the world, I take the liberty of forwarding to you
a parcel of Australian seeds with the solicitation of returning to us seeds of such
trees & shrubs as are likely to succeed without protection to grow in our climate.
Particularly the plants of the shores of the Mediterranean Sea would be highly acceptable,
very few of which are in our possession.
I shall endeavour to make up for your Government a collection of seeds of such plants,
as would be desirable for introduction into Algeria, where the climate is so similar
to ours.
I beg to enclose a fragment of Marsdenia? ceratostigma n. sp. from Moreton Bay with
my desire of benefitting from your unrivalled knowledge of
, and I hope you will kindfully inform me, whether it ought to be considered as a
new genus (ranking between
& Marsdenia) for which the name
might be applied.
Also I have the honor to enclose a fragment of Rhyncharrhena (n.g.) atropurpurea,
a plant of extreme scarcity, discovered in Eastern tropical Australia during Mr Gregory's
expedition,
and of which on the place of discovery the bye-following notes (without application
of the miscroscope) were made. Both these plants are not yet published
nor a second species of
from N. W. Australia
and other [new] asclepiadeae, which I gladly will send for your scrutiny if desired.
I did myself the honor of writing a reply to your extremely kind letter by the last
mail and sincerely wish, that I may often yet be honored with a communication from
so great a savant as your self.
Most humbly
yours
Ferd. Mueller
Prof. Decaisne, Ph. D.,
&c&c&c
The seeds are forwarded by favor of Count Chabrillon, who is on his voyage to Europe.
Rhyncharrhena atropurpura.
Herba volubilis pluripedalis
non
lactescens, glabra. Caules tenues tenaces, teretes sub epidermati alba fibrosi obscure
striolati punctulati. Folia opposita linearia acuta subsessilia 1 1/2-2 1/2" longa,
ab margines revolutos tantum 1-1 1/2'" lata, nerva crasso subtus prominente supra
impresso prominente supra impresso pracdita. Umbellae semi-compositae interpetiolares,
speciales 3-6-florae, rarius iterum compositae & tunc inflores centrain umbellato-paniculatam
praebentes. Pedunculi prisnarii 1/2-1" longi. Pedicelli pedunculis tenuiores filiformes
uncialis vil breviores paulo inaequales. Bracteolae pedicellis nu nuroaequales ad
eorum basin sitae lineares 1-1 1/2 '" longae ciliatae. Calycis subglabri quinquepartite
laciniae lanceolatae lineam longae. Corolla
custivatione valvata
late campanulata 4-6'" longa, extus e viridi purpurascens, intus atropurpurea, quinquefida,
lacimis patentibus lanceolatis acutis dextrorsum apice revolutis et him dextro versum
barbatis, basi subviridi, praeter apicem amnino glabra. Corona staminea et squamae
faucis nullae. Genitalia 1'" paulo excedentia. Filamenta in discum brevem abtuse 5-lobum
connata. Antherae atropurpureae rostro nigricante recurvo brevitae mucronate terminatae,
corollae laciniis alternae. Stigma abtusum. Folliculi 2 1/2" cirvitir longi cylindracei
basi perparum attenuati obtusi, apice (hand sempur forsan), in rostrum breve pamatum
producti, laeves solitarii. Pemina numerosa apice coniosa.
Genus Athnandae forscum praximum.
