Document information

Physical location:

ML MSS.562, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 74.07.04

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Edward Ramsay, 1874-07-04. 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/1870-9/1874/74-07-04-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

Melbourne
4/7/74.
Since writing to you, dear Mr Ramsay,
1
Letter not found.
I have again looked over such material of Palms as I have here left, the main lot went on loan four years ago already to Wendland, and came to one important result. Your shield-palm is new, and I have given your & your fathers name to this Livistona.
2
M named Livistona ramsayi in B74.08.01, p. 221.
So you can now name the seeds. The diagnosis has gone to print for the outgoing mail.
3
The mail that took M to G Bentham, 14 July 1874 (in this edition as 74-07-14a), his  monthly letter to Bentham,  closed at 1 pm on 16 July (‘Mails outward’, Argus, 8 July 1874, p. 4).
It is nearest to the Indian L. rotundifolia. If you can give me yet some notes on its hight & localities &c aculei of petiole &c I can use them supplementary. The Step-palm of Mount Elliot with the step-like rings is likely a species of Ptychosperma. I have no seed of it! There is now also no doubt on my mind, that the true
Ptychosperma elegans

Search for Ptychosperma elegans in

of Blume (
Seaforthia elegans

Search for Seaforthia elegans in

of RBr, but not of Cunningham, Hooker &c) is the extremely slender palm from Whitsunday Island with red fruit.
Could you not get from Mr Hill (without mentioning my name) obtain fruits at least of his
Areca minor

Search for Areca minor in

and the new supposed
Cocos

Search for Cocos in

? I telegraphed to him; but I do not expect he will send them to me as he has been throughout reluctant to place material in my hands, which is but natural, because it fell generally to my lot then to point out that the plants were even often generically misplaced. I find also that the Palm, named by Mr Moore from Cape York
Caryota urens

Search for Caryota urens in

is not the true one, though it may be identical with some other of the many Indian palms. Have you any means of getting me flowers & seeds of it from Somerset.
4
Near the northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula, Qld.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller