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M2966, unit 21, VPRS 1096 inward correspondence, VA 466 Governor, Public Record Office, Victoria. 66.08.21Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Henry C. Manners-Sutton, 1866-08-21. 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/1860-9/1866/66-08-21-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne botanic Garden,
21/8/66
Sir
In expressing to his Excellency my obligation for the friendly note you kindly sent
me this day
I avail myself of the opportunity to ask permission for attaching the name of the
Earl of Carnarvon, the Minister for the Colonies, and that of the Governor to some
noble trees of Australia, in order that also in the vegetable empire by a permanent
monument his Lordships and his Excellencys influence on the rising prosperity of Australia
may be recorded.
1
Letter not found. In his despatch of 26 September 1866 (National Archives, London, CO 309/80, ff. 8-11), the Governor, Sir Henry Manners-Sutton, reported the contents of this letter to the Colonial Office, adding 'Dr Mueller has
requested me to transmit to your Lordship a complete set of his works, according to
the list, which is enclosed'. The volumes listed (f. 11) were B62.03.03 and B62.05.06;
four volumes of
Fragmenta phytographiae australiae; B64.13.04 and B64.10.02. There are several minutes on the despatch, noting that
the volumes had not been received with the despatch on 9 November, and a note to 'Mr Elliot' dated 12 November:
Dr. Mueller called a tree after the Duke of Newcastle but I find no trace of his having
done so in the case of the other Secretaries of State mentioned in this despatch.
The Governor was requested by the Duke of Newcastle to thank Dr Mueller for his communication [followed by an internal reference, and signed by two
illegible initials].
Elliot added
I think that the answer to this despatch should be suspended until it appears whether
the Southampton mail brings Dr. Mueller's botanical Works. If it does, Lord Carnarvon
would probably thank Dr. Mueller for the presentation of these Works. With regard
to the trees, I presume that Lord Carnarvon will assent to Dr. Mueller's using his
discretion in affixing his Lordship's name to any Australian Trees or plants which
Dr Mueller may propose to designate in that manner T F E [Thomas Frederick Elliot] 14 Nov.
That minute is followed by: 'Mr Elliots suggstion will quite meet the case. I know something of Dr. Mueller—14
Nov [C]'.
The face of the despatch is annotated 'Disposed of by Private Secretary'.
2
M subsequently erected
Carna
r
vonia
(C.
arali
i
folia
)
(B67.12.01, p. 80-81), and under the joint authority of M and C. Moore
Kentia canterburyana
(B70.04.01, p. 101) in honour of the Secretary of State and the Governor (by then Viscount Canterbury) respectively. He also named
Cordyline manners-suttoniae) dedicated to 'Mrs Manners-Sutton, the kind and noble wife of the Governor of Victoria'
(B66.12.04, p. 195).
The same concession was gracefully accorded to me by his Grace the Duke of Newcastle,
by the Right Honorable Mr Labouchere, by Sir Edw. Bulwer Lytton, and by the Right
Honorable Mr Cardwell, as also by his Excellency's viceregal predecessors in this
part of her Majesty's territory.
3
Presumably
Newcastelia cladotricha
(B57.13.01, p. 22),
Laboucheria chlorastachya
(B59.02.02, p. 159),
Bulweria nobilissima
(B64.11.01, p. 147),
Cardwellia sublimis
(B65.04.01, p. 24),
Eremophila latrobei
(B59.04.04, p. 125),
Barklya syringifolia
(B59.02.02, p. 158),
Sarcochilus barklyanus
(B59.02.03, p. 89),
Darlingia spectatissima
(B66.02.02, p. 152),
Helicia darlingiana
(B65.04.01, p. 24).
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient
Ferd.
Mueller, M.D., F.R.S.
The honorable H. C. Manners-Sutton,
Private Secretary to his Excellency the Governor of Victoria &c &c &c