The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ Australian Ferns ¶ .—While lately engaged in examining critically all the Ferns hitherto found in Australia, I was reminded of the likelihood that very many of our southern species could be grown w...

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66.02.00c

Plant names

Adiantum formosum
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Adiantum hispidulum
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Alsophila Leichhardtii
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Alsophila australis
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Aspidium coriaceum
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Aspidium hispidum
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Asplenium attenuatum
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Asplenium bulbiferum
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Asplenium flabellifolium
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Asplenium flaccidum
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Asplenium furcatum
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Asplenium umbrosum
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Blechnum cartilagineum
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Blechnum laevigatum
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Blechnum striatum
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Cheilanthes distans
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Cheilanthes hirsuta
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Cheilanthes tenuifolia
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Cheilanthes vellea
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Cyathea medullaris
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Davallia dubia
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Dicksonia antarctica
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Doodia aspera
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Doodia caudata
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Gleichenia circinata
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Gleichenia dicarpa
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Gleichenia flabellata
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Hymenophyllum demissum
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Hymenophyllum tunbridgense
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Lindsaea linearis
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Lomaria alpina
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Lomaria capensis
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Lomaria discolor
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Lomaria fluviatilis
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Lomaria lanceolata
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Lomaria patersoni
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Lomaria vulcanica
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Lycopodium densum
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Lycopodium laterale
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Lycopodium scariosum
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Lycopodium volubile
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Nephrodium decompositum
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Polypodium Grammitidis
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Polypodium australe
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Polypodium rugulosum
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Polypodium scandens
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Polypodium serpens
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Psilotum triquetrum
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Pteris arguta
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Pteris comans
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Pteris falcata
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Pteris incisa
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Pteris longifolia
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Pteris umbrosa
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Schizaea dichotoma
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Schizaea fistulosa
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Selaginella uliginosa
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Tmesipteris tannensis
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Todea africana
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Trichomanes venosum
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 1866-02 [66.02.00c]. 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/1860-9/1866/66-02-00c-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Foreign correspondence', Gardeners' chronicle and agricultural gazette, 21 April 1866, p. 365 (B66.04.03). It is dated to February as the latest likely date at which it could have been sent to have been published on 21 April.

Australian Ferns.—While lately engaged in examining critically all the Ferns hitherto found in Australia, I was reminded of the likelihood that very many of our southern species could be grown without protection in the south of Britain. In No. 36 of my "Fragmenta,"

B66.02.01.

an enumeration of all the species is printed, and of these I regard at least the following to be hardy in the milder parts of Britain, viz.:— , L. laterale, L. scariosum, L. volubile, , , , , S. dichotoma, , , G. dicarpa, G. circinata, , , , , , Alsophila Leichhardtii, , , , A. hispidulum. , B. cartilagineum, B. laevigatum, , L. discolor, L. vulcanica, L. lanceolata, L. alpina, L. fluviatilis, L. patersoni, , C. distans, C. vellea, C. hirsuta, , P. incisa, P. comans, P. longifolia, P. umbrosa, P. arguta, , P. Grammitidis, P. scandens, P. rugulosum, P. serpens, , D. aspera, , A. furcatum, A. flabellifolium, A. bulbiferum, A. flaccidum, A. umbrosum, , , and A. hispidum. Evidently many of the New Zealand Ferns need no housing in the South of England if places were artificially prepared for them resembling the localities in which spontaneously occurs. Vast numbers of Ferns might also readily be transferred from North America and extra-tropical Asia to such spots. An assemblage of Ferns of all parts of the globe, as far as they would endure the British clime, if made in one of your great institutions, would be very interesting.

Ferd. Mueller.

A comment was added at the end of the article: '[Dr Mueller's views as to the "hardiness" of many of the foregoing Ferns must be taken with considerable limitation.]' For M’s response to this judgment, see M to Gardeners' chronicle, August 1866 (in this edition as 66-08-00f) (B66.11.03).