Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1858-70, ff. 393-4. 69.07.15b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Hooker, 1869-07-15 [69.07.15b]. 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/1860-9/1869/69-07-15b-final.odt>, accessed May 7, 2026

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MS annotation: 'Ansd Sept 30'. Letter not found.
15/7/69
The
Sarracenia

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s, sent by you, dear Dr Hooker,
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See M to J. Hooker, 16 June 1869.
had completely damped off, during the voyage. Nevertheless I am indebted for your good intentions. Seeds of them & of
Dionaea

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would give the main-chance to secure these extraordinarplants for us here.
Are you well supplied with
Bowenia spectabilis

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. I can send plants, so that you may get both sexes. I can also send
Alsophila Rebeccae

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, if you not as yet have it.
Your growth of terrestrial Orchids of Europe seems a great success — I am certain this culture will become fashionable! Has not my sending of the Australian tubers given some additional impulse to it?
I have a large box full of supplemental
Monochlamydeae

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ready to send. In this consignment I will include a [gyps] made of the large goldmass, found this year here, for the British Museum. It is the largest specimen on record!
Have you Musa Banksii in culture. I can send it also.
Should you be on the moors with a conveyance at any time, would you not kindly lift for me a good sod of Eriophosum?
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Should ... Eriophosum is marked in the margin with a cross.
I have here [some] half morassy & heathy ground in the garden among
Melaleuca ericifolia

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, where I believe such plant & similar moorplants would grow among the natural Junci. It would be interesting for lectures & a reminiscence of Home.
I have a very small collection of geologic specimens, the relic of Leichh. first glorious expedition to Port Essington. These I will send to Sir Rod. Murchison, as they will be of some little interest to the British Museum.
Always your
Ferd von Mueller
My starch & my poison experiments proceed[s]. I think I shall adopt Lenormands method of using Sulphur of Carbon as a destructive & preventive agent in the herbarium.
Please distribute Dr Rudalls translation of Schroeder von der Kolkes posthumous work on the diseases of the [mind]
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Schroeder van der Kolk (1869). In the Translator’s Preface, Rudall wrote that he ‘very gratefully acknowledges the revision of the manuscript by his distinguished friend, Dr. F. von Mueller, C.M.G., F.R.S.’.
Some years ago I sent to Dr Busk two Gorgonias
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Sea fans; No Gorgonia or related species described by Busk from Port Phillip have been found (Australian faunal directory, https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/home accessed 30 August 2020).
from near Port Phillip and here extremely rare. I never received any acknowledgement of their arrival, so perhaps they were lost.
Would you kindly ask the Doctor when you see him at the L.S. whether he ever got them & whether they proved curious.
16/7/69
This morning I met Capt. Kay, R.N, FRS, your voyage-companion in the Erebus & Terror. He sent his salutation. Capt. Smith
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A. J. Smith.
I have not seen for some time, but only yesterday his 2 graceful & remarkably beautiful daughters a[t] [h]is
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editorial addition — text obscured by binding.
Excellency's ball.