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Bibliothèque de l'Institut de France, Paris. 61.12.25c

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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Decaisne, 1861-12-25 [61.12.25c]. 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/1860-9/1861/61-12-25c-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

1
MS black-edged; M's sister Bertha Doughty died on 7 September 1861. The files also contain a French translation of this letter, probably made after the letter reached Decaisne.
Melbourne bot & zool. Garden
25 Dec 61
Venerable and dear Sir
It is so long a time since I directly communicated with you that I feel quite ashamed of adressing you. But so laborious a Gentleman as yourself knows but too well, how often amongst us the will is good and deed is bad.
I contemplated since some time to write to you and more particularly to send you a series of dried plants for the herbarium. But I have been very much engaged in the few spare hours either to advance my literary works or to superintend the acquiring of vegetable products for the grand international exhibition
2
Victorian Exhibition, Melbourne 1861, in connexion with the London Exhibition, 1862.
But that having been accomplished I shall have occasion to sort much amongst my plants, as the normal collections will go on loan to Mr Bentham, who conceded to me an assistanceship in his forthcoming Flora Australiana universalis.
3
Bentham (1863-78).
This will give me an opportunity to sort my duplicates & to send you a share.
You will have observed that the Cucumis or
Zehneria micrantha

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is a true Muckia . I sent you pr mail steamer nearly two years ago a set of all my
Cucurbitaceae

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.
4
See M to J. Decaisne, 16 May 1859 (in this edition as 59-05-16d).
I am sorry to learn they did not arrive as I shall have but an imperfect opportunity to restore them.
The
Thalamiflorae

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of my "plants indigenous to the Colony of Victoria" are now nearly printed.
5
B62.03.03.
The I. vol. will be about 240 quarto pages & 22 plates. The second volume of the fragmenta phytographiae Australiae
6
B62.02.03.
is ready & will with the Flora be sent to you.
The plants raised from seeds sent on request of Dr Hooker to Jerusalem are thriving,
7
See J. Hooker to M, 22 September 1861.
& I cannot but think that the introduction of the Australian timbertrees into Algeria will prove of great benefit to that country. I have now ascertained beyond doubt, that our useful Stringybark tree is the true Eucal obliqua l'Herit. Nelson found it at Adventure Bay of Tasmania in Cooks third voyage and the specimen thus procured was deposited in Banks herbarium, l'Heritier erroneously supposing it had come from Endeavour River,
8
Qld.
where Banks himself botanized.
Thus the French Botanists can claim having given names to the most important Eucalypti: vize E. Globulus & E. obliqua.
Highly regardful
your
Ferd Mueller
If I can send you anything from here pray command my services without hesitation.