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Physical location:

Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 72.12.08

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Asa Gray, 1872-12-08. 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/1870-9/1872/72-12-08-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

Melbourne bot Garden
8/12/72.
Will you allow me to remark, dear Prof Gray, that when I was residing on the baltic and North Sea (1840-1846) I had ample opportunities to see the clear distinctions between
Poa maritima

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and P. distans. The former is a stronger plant & has a long creeping root, which however is easily severed by pulling the plant & left in the sand. Possibly you have only one of the two on your coasts. You may be able to set this right for a new edition of your most valuable Manual.
1
A. Gray (1867), p. 628, synonyms under Heleochloa section of Glyceria . Gray commented that G. distans was 'too like the last' [G. maritima ].
Mr. Watson
2
Sereno Watson.
has kindly sent me a fragment of
Galax aphylla

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and
Samolus ebracteatus

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. The former seems referable to
Saxifrageae

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.
The Report,
3
Not identified.
sent by Mr. Watson, seems to have not yet arrived. A few brief supplemental notes to my "tree list"
4
B71.06.02.
and "select plants"
5
B72.13.02.
would from you be most acceptable and publicly acknowledged.
6
In his introduction to B76.12.04, M acknowledged using Gray's published works among others, and some entries are specifically attributed to 'Dr. Asa Gray', eg. Vicia sitchensis, p. 254.
With the best wishes for the stability of your health and the progress of your glorious researches your
Ferd von Mueller.
7
What follows is on a separate sheet but was presumably sent in same letter.
Melbourne bot Garden 8/12/72.
Private
Long since, dear Professor, I ought to have written to you, but for a long time past I have been subjected to much annoyance here,
8
The Board of Inquiry into the management of the Botanic Gardens.
far more so than even our friend Hooker.
9
Joseph Hooker; see MacLeod (1974).
Thus my time was largely wasted in merely defending my position, and almost all scientific work has come to a stand still.