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68.01.07

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Agnew, 1868-01-07. 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/1860-9/1868/68-01-07-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from Papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 1868, p. 2 (B69.13.02).
Melbourne Botanic Gardens,
7th January, 1868.
Allow me, dear Dr. Agnew, to offer you, as Hon. Secretary of the Royal Society of Tasmania, a few pages of observations on Tasmanian plants.
2
B69.13.03. The MS of this paper is at the Royal Society of Tasmania Archives: RSA/A.17, F. Mueller, 'Contributions to the phytography of Tasmania' [1868].
M's paper was read at a meeing of the Society on 24 March 1868. M's letter was followed by 'In reference to Dr. Mueller's interesting paper Mr. M Allport observed that the Fellows of the Society ought to mark in a distinct manner their appreciation of the Doctor's efforts to afford them instruction, and to benefit their Transactions by the contribution of valuable papers such as that he had just had the honor to read. Mr. Allport concluded by proposing that a special vote of thanks should be accorded to Dr. Mueller, which was seconded by Mr. Giblin, and unanimously carried.'
If such contributions should prove acceptable for the Society's publication, I will gladly from time to time offer others, and thus special supplements would arise to Dr. Hooker's work
3
J. Hooker (1860).
from new material. This single contribution brings already 25 plants left unrecorded by my illustrious friend.
The impression may thus also be removed that nothing was left to be recorded in Tasmania; thus intelligent and educated observers might feel induced to send methodically and periodically contributions to me for further elucidation of the plants of your islands.
I long myself to visit King's Island and Flinders' Island, not merely because in those dependencies of Tasmania many a plant will yet be found new to your territory; but more especially with a view of contrasting the vegetation there with that of Gipps Land, and to trace it to its geological relation. The same physiographic enquiries may lead me yet to your Alps; and such excursions may contribute much also to the buoyancy of mind, and the consolidation or restoration of health, all of which I sadly am missing, as I am but partially recovered from my long and severe illness.
By the next Hobart Town steamer I shall send a number of Chinese tea plants, and others calculated to live in your mild fern-tree glens. If you could afford space and provide a temperature of 80 deg. F., I could send also a plant of the magnificent waterlily, the
Victoria regia

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.
Your very regardful,
FERD. MUELLER
N.B. — I could only send fragments of some of the plants in letter form.
4
See also J. Agnew to M, 17 February 1868.