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66.06.00a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Australasian, 1866-06 [66.06.00a]. 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/1860-9/1866/66-06-00a-final.odt>, accessed May 10, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Miscellaneous notes and queries', Australasian, 2 June 1868, p. 264 (B66.06.06). M's memorandum is preceded by a letter from ‘Tyro’ of Blackwood, who on 21 May 1866 wrote to the Editor of the Australasian: ‘After waiting for months to find in your queries something about the above subject [Ferns from the Blackwood Ranges], I venture to enclose a few specimens of my collecting, trusting you will be able to classify them for me, which will be esteemed a favour. I believe there are sixteen or seventeen varieties, but up to this I have only found nine or ten, in those ranges, and besides some of the enclosed are very scarce. Perhaps some of your correspondents can inform me of the number obtained from other parts of the colony, that I may thereby be able to compare, should you be able to have the enclosed named.’ The Editor sent the specimens to M who returned them with the above memorandum.
The ferns from the Blackwood Ranges submitted to me are:— 1,
Asplenium flabellifolium

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; 2, Lindsaya, perhaps tridromanoides
2
trichomanoides?
(a rare species, of which good specimens would be welcome); 3,
Lomaria fluviatilis

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; 4,
Blechmun

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3
Blechnum?
(an imperfect specimen); 5,
Adiantum Aethiopicum

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; 6,
Itiris iurisa

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;­
4
Pteris incisa?
7,
Lomaria discolor

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; 8,
Davallia

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(an imperfect specimen); 9,
Aspidium aruliotum

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.
5
A. aculeatum?
For a careful examination fragments of ferns without fruit are not always sufficient.
In answer to your correspondent’s question I would remark, that of the 164 Australian ferns, or fern-like plants, enumerated in the fifth vol. of the Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae, pages 111 and 142,
6
B66.02.01, pp. 111-142.
sixty-seven species are to be found within the limits of Victoria, and it is likely that a few otherwise East Australian kinds will yet be found in the but partially explored recesses of East Gipps Land.
While requesting your correspondent to collect and transmit seeds of all kinds of eucalypti occurring on the Blackwood Ranges, I would remark that I am anxious to raise in the garden and parks under my control all the species of eucalyptus existing in any part of Australia, not so much with a view of merely forming a complete collection of those trees, but particularly that their specific characters might be further studied, and that visitors to the garden might have the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the great number of species, all useful in their way, and many highly important for commercial purposes and for the work of artisans. Hence seeds of eucalypti of any kind, from any part of Australia, would be highly acceptable for this garden. When taken out of the seed vessels they might be readily forwarded by post. Especially welcome would be also the seeds of the alpine eucalypti, which the intelligent men of the upland mining population might readily secure in quantity. These eucalypti of our snowy mountains would endure the climate of middle Europe.