Document information

Physical location:

MEL 2467875, National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 67.12.00a

Preferred Citation:

Thomas Kirk to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1867-12 [67.12.00a]. 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/1860-9/1867/67-12-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
Note found with a specimen of an undetermined Achras species. Annotated by M: 'Achras (Sapota)'. Punctuation uses dashes of various lengths, standardized in the transcript to distinguish them from hyphens.
In shaded places on cliffs by the sea Great Barrier Island
Decr 1867
392
T. K.
2
Writen in the margin.
A tree about 25-40 ft high — wood hard & dense. — L
3
Leaf.
obovate on short petioles— entire obtuse or retuse, smooth coriaceous — margins recurved. Fl
4
Flower.
solitary on or in axillary 2 or 3 fld fascicles (only buds seen.) — Frt a drupe 1 inch long or more. black when ripe — nuts 3 (one or two often abortive) brown curved smooth, — excessively hard.
Whole tree, but especially the bark, when wounded exudes a viscid whitish secretion wh hardens on exposure to the atmosphere—
Trunk from 9 inches to 3 feet in diameter.
Native name "Pau"— nuts formerly worn as necklaces by the chiefs