Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Archives, Letters to John Lindley, vol. 2 (L-Z) ff. 659-660. 59.02.05a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John Lindley, 1859-02-05 [59.02.05a]. 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//letters/1850-9/1859/59-02-05a-final.odt>, accessed May 7, 2026

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"Folios" 659 and 660 are a single folded sheet. The text of the letter begins on the front of f. 660, with postscripts continued on the back of f. 659. The front of f. 659 is occupied by an illustration engraved by Frederick Grosse and signed by him ‘F. Grosse [l/c]’. The 'Gouty-stem tree' depicted is Adansonia gregorii, formally described by M (B57.01.01, p. 14) from specimens collected near the Victoria River during the North Australian Exploring Expedition. The image with the annotation (by J. Lindley?), 'see also Mitchells volumes’ is reproduced with the kind permission of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It may not be reused unless this is explicitly agreed to in writing by Kew. Lindley named another Australian 'bottle tree', Delabchea rupestris, in Mitchell (1848), p. 154-5; it is illustrated on p. 154.
Melbourne botanic and zoologic
Garden, 5. febr 1859
My Dear Sir
A few days ago I had the great pleasure of receiving your highly valuable "folia orchidacea",
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Lindley (1852-9). M is probably referring to the first section of Part VIII of this work, which is marked as having been published on 1 November 1858 after an interruption of several years. (Subsequent sections appeared in January and February 1859, and the title page of the Part is marked February 1859.) The final two parts, Parts VIII and IX, are missing from the bound copy of the work in the library of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne but there is a separate, unbound copy of Part IX inscribed ‘Dr Ferd. Müller’.
a really classic work, for the transmission of which I beg to tender you my grateful acknowledgement. It will be of great service to me in future writings on this noble Order, altho' possibly we may regard the orchid-flora of Australia now as fully known, not even the
Calamus

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jungles of Eastern Australia having aforded many new parasitical species, whilst the terrestrial ones disappear in the hotter zone. The few novelties I possessed are described in the 4. No of my fragmenta,
3
B59.02.03, pp 87-90.
which will be sent to you by the first opportunity. Probably you will be displeased with my having subjugated the genus
Gunnia

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to
Sarcochilus

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.
4
B59.02.03, p. 90: Lindley's
Gunnia

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australis was renamed
Sarcochilus

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gunnii.
But I really believe, you would not have separated it at the time, when it was established, had
Sarcochilus

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been known except from the very imperfect circumscription given by RBr. Some vituperation may fall on me in having not the worthy Gunn's name attached to the species, but what shall I say, if Dr Hooker describes the sepals as yellow, whilst they are quite green , color not varying in this order except into white. I sent to our friend Dr Hooker 12 months ago
5
See M to J. Hooker 15 December 1858 (in this edition as 58-12-15a), where he says that it was to Lindley that he sent specimens 'January last'.
previous to my describing the species a specimen for identification and asked Mr Gunn
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M to R. Gunn, 22 October 1858.
& Dr Milligan also for a specimen of the Tasmanian plant. The latter friend had mislaid them,
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Letters not found.
and the former having as he says "the misfortune of being a legislator"!
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Gunn was a member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of Selby (ADB).
delayed sending them, until after I had published my notes. The occurrence of the elegant little
Dendrobium Milligani

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in Tasmania & Bass's Straits will interest you.
I have now restored Gunn's claim on a genus being named in acknowledgement of his very meritorious botanical exertions by choosing as
Gunnia

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a n.g. of
Portulaceae

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brought just home by Mr Babbage from the N.W. of South Australia. This gentlemans bot collection contains besides an other well marked genus
Babbagia

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, (of
Salsolaceae

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) differing from
Kochia

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in producing 2 wings only, both vertical; - then different species of known genera,
Helichrysum

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, Eremophila,
Trichinium

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,
Hibiscus

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&c, amongst which the
Eremophila Macdonnelli

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is truly elegant. There will be a separate report issued on this collection,
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B59.04.02.
in the way as on Mr Gregory's collection formed in 1858 on Coopers Creek.
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B59.04.03, in which M erected
Gunnia

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(G. septifraga), p. 9.
My own multifarious duties on this establishment permitted me only for a very short time to seek recreation in a botanical tour to the S.W. parts of the alps, where I discovered a [new]
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Obscured by binding.
range encircling an auriferous country & where I likewise obtained some botanical novelties, amongst which the fine Goodenia M'Millani is the most desirable for garden introduction.
With veneration & best wishes for your welfare, I remain, dear Professor, your humble
[Ferd] Mueller
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The signature is written in a small space at the very bottom of the sheet.
I will do my best to find for your favorite gardener suitable employment.
13
Person not identified; letter requesting M's help not found.
I will thankfully avail myself in any future orchidological discoveries to see them published through your kindness in the L.S. journal. For a sending of seeds from the Hort. Soc. many thanks. I [shall]
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I will ... [shall] written in the left margin, f. 660 front. [shall] is torn at the fold which has been inserted into the binding.
soon reciprocate for them. Also accept my sincere thanks for you troubles about acorns - I will write to our Colonial Agent, who may be able to send them officially, other wise our patriotic friends Edw. Wilson Esq or W. Westgarth Esq, City Bank Chambers 20 Threadneedle Street would, I feel sure, gladly forward any thing calculated to be a boon to this country.
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soon ... country is written on the back of f. 659, above the back of the engraving, which shows through the thin paper. I am just dividing... greatly delighted is written below the back of the engraving.
I am just dividing this years duplicates into collections, of which I shall be happy to send you one. If you can favor me with a few duplicates from any tropical or subtropical country of the eastern hemisphere , I shall be greatly delighted.