The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne bot & zool. Garden ¶ 26. Nov. 1861 ¶ Dear Sir William. ¶ ¶ It was highly gratifying to me to learn from your kind letter, dated 26 Sept and also from Dr Hookers letter by the last mail, ¶ ...

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RBG Kew, Directors' letters, vol. LXXV, Australian and Pacific Letters 1859-65, letter no. 139. 61.11.26a

Plant names

Alangiaceae
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Biebersteinia
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Cadellia
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Codonocarpus
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Elymus geniculatus
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Geraniaceae
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Geranium
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Gyrostemon cotinifolius
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Gyrostemon ramulosus
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Howittia
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Hymenotheca
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Limnanthus
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Pelargonium
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Pseudalangium
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Rhytidandra
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Siphonia
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Suriana
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Thalamiflorae
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Hooker, 1861-11-26 [61.11.26a]. 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/1860-9/1861/61-11-26a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

MS black-edged; M's sister Bertha Doughty died on 7 September 1861. MS annotation: '[six illegible words] Paphp[phum]'.

Melbourne bot & zool. Garden

26. Nov. 1861

Dear Sir William.

It was highly gratifying to me to learn from your kind letter, dated 26 Sept and also from Dr Hookers letter by the last mail,

W. Hooker's letter not found; see J. Hooker to M, 22 September 1861.

that my proposition in regard to Mr Benthams Flora had met with so cordial an acceptance from you and your celebrated son, and that you entertain the hope of Mr Bentham approving also of my propositions; I only await now Mr Benthams final answer to prepare for the shipment of the .

As I shall write more fully on the subject of the transmissions by next mail, I have little to add, but to express my joy of Dr Harvey's recovery. I truly hope, he will take care of himself, for how is such a man to be replaced if we loose him?

I am now nearly through the . It would have been done earlier but for the tragical calamities of the Exploring party!

Burke & Wills Exploring Expedition, 1860-1. The deaths of Robert O'Hara Burke, William James Wills and Charles Gray were reported in a despatch by A. W. Howitt dated 10 October 1861 and received by the Exploration Committee in Melbourne on 4 November 1861.

A glorious achievement has come to the saddest termination! without direct fault of anyone here or in the field.

In examining the , I find that all Pelargonia have not convolute and twisted cotyledons as , but flat or slightly concave-convex cotyledons. Perhaps this important distinctive note is worthy of Dr Hookers acceptance for the genera plantarum. has trifid cotyledons. I have recently received male flowers of . The anthers are uniseriate thus it differs from the remaining typical and now I transfer it therefore together with my genus to ,

The transfer was reported in B62.02.01, p. 200. M had erected the genus in B59.12.01, 202.

which we may presume to have the same anthereal arrangement. Dr Hooker will find in the now forwarded closing fascicle of the II vol of the fragmenta some note by Planchon, who draws near , & .

B61.11.04, p. 171. M wrote 'Illustris Planchon hoc genus in viciniam Limnanthae e et e posuit' [The illustrious Planchon placed this genus in the neighborhood of Limnanthes, and ], but gave no authority for the claim. No publication by Planchon to this effect has been found; he may have made the comment in a letter.

If Dr Hooker could manage to send me through the despatch bag of the Governor or otherwise proofsheets of his & Benth genera

Bentham & Hooker (1862-83).

by the mails, I would be able to furnish any additions in such time, as to be enrolled (if accepted) in the last pages of his volumes.

It is a source of deep gratification to my feelings, that I hear of your regaining health. Let me implore you to take the greatest care of yourself, my dear Sir William; — Extensive cessation of work during winter and enjoyment of the air of the rural districts in summer I feel sure will long retain for us the blessing of your being amongst us.

Ever your gratefully attached

Ferd Mueller

My kindest regards to Dr Hooker & Mr Bentham; to both I will write by next mail.

Dr. Hooker will note that Asa Gr. belongs to & that is the same genus.

Are seeds of readily in your noble establishment. Should this [ ] be new, perhaps the excellent Mr Berkely will name it in honor of the finder.