Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-70, ff. 189-90. 65.12.25d

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1865-12-25 [65.12.25d]. 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/1860-9/1865/65-12-25d-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

25/12/65
Only the helichrysoid
Compositae

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, dear Mr Bentham, are remaining to be sent to you; these will soon follow the two other boxes
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despatched in Sept by the Kent & in Nov by the Yorkshire. I can however not regard it advisable to enter on
Compositae

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for your third volume. The order is too large to find conveniently room in it. It appears to me far better to retain those plants for the fourth volume and to bring up arrears to the first three volumes in supplemental pages. It will certainly involve 5 years work more, until the
Dicotyledoneae

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,
Monocotyledoneae

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& ferns are done & that would be a long while to wait for supplements.
Euphorbiaceae

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and
Laurineae

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might afford additional material for the third volume. This time I beg to send a very beautiful Melaleuca, which I did not send before and which I wish to bear the name of Dr W. McCrea, the Chief Medical Officer of Victoria, should it prove new.
1
APNI lists no Melaleuca named after McCrea (accessed 13 January 2020).
But you may have it in Drummonds collection or it may even be recently described by Turczaninow who but little before his death published about 30
Myrtaceae

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from Australia in the Moscou Bulletin. Of this essay you will undoubtedly be aware.
2
Turczaninow (1862). Although this article contains only ten new species of
Myrtaceae

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, the only article by Turczaninow that contains more is Turczaninow (1852), which contains more than twenty Melaleuca alone.
I received it only after I sent off my
Myrtaceae

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to you.
I notice with pleasure while unpacking the 2 cases, which arrived safely by the Royal Edward this week, that you recognize nearly all my new
Myrtaceae

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as tenable. I certainly have given a good deal of attention to the elucidation of Austr species of this order for a series of years. The Melaleuca now sent seems to differ materially from M. Waeberi & M. parviceps. It is a most lovely shrub & I can distribute its seeds largely. The
Eugenia Wilsonii

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is not yet back. Is this plant really new?
Notes for Mr Bentham
3
The heading starts page 190. There may be one or more pages missing; however, these notes were almost certainly sent with the letter, as the text on both pages refers to items received by Royal Edward.
Minuria leptophylla

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DC & M. tenuissima DC may be combined under Sonders
Minuria asteroidea

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.
Kippistia

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is closely allied but distinct.
Swainsona coronillifolia

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enjoys the priority over S. galegifolia, unless Salisbury indicated the last species in the paradisus,
4
Swainsona was erected by Salisbury in Salisbury (1805), t. 28; in Aiton (1810-13), vol. 4, p. 327, Robert Brown (1773-1858) made the combination S. galegifolia.
which I do not possess.
You althogether omitted
Galactia pauciflora

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& G. prostrata as synonyms. The Genus was named by Patr. Browne
5
P. Browne (1756), p. 298. Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p. 254, mistakenly gives the author of Galactia as 'R. Br'.
and G. tenuiflora named by Wight & Arnott.
6
Wight & Arnott (1834), vol. 1, p. 206.
Since publishing my note that
Felicia

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& some other genera have to be drawn to
Aster

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7
B65.11.01, p. 83.
I have received Harvey & Sonders third volume (pr Royal Edward) where the reduction is already carried out.
8
Harvey & Sonder (1859-65), vol. 3, p. 78.
I see however nowhere in any work, that
Eurybia

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is not to be separated from
Aster

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. In my essay on the Burdekin plants I described the
Atylosia

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e as Cajani.
9
B60.13.12, p. 9.
This you overlooked. The distinction of these two genera are still not clear to me. I see nothing to hinder us to draw
Ixiolaena

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to
Helichrysum

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; but I will still further consider the matter, while working on gnaphaloid genera.
The setae in
Ixiolaena

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, even in the same species are very variable.
Poor Edw Wilson has just to go through the cataract operation, which I trust will sufficiently restore his sight to look during a long & serene autumn[e] of life joyfully on the smiling features of the world. I am so anxious to afford him in his present distress any little pleasure. Pray therefore let me know whether the noble redflowered Eugenia can permanently bear his name. Be also so friendly to bear in mind that I changed the name of
Eucalyptus diversicolor

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, into E. colossea ,
10
B65.04.01, p. 14.
it turning out to be the colossal Karri Gum. Pray look in Eucalypti to Placentae, perhaps they afford characteristic [ma]rk. I once commenced a special work on Eucalypti with folio plates, but was obliged to give it up on account of the expense. I look forward with interest to your new fasc of genera
11
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83).
and wish you strenght & health in the rapid progress of your glorious labours
With unalterable
esteem yr
Ferd Mueller
I received in excellent condition & well packed back the 2 boxes with
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pr. Royal Edward