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74.11.00a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Leader, 1874-11 [74.11.00a]. 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/1870-9/1874/74-11-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 16, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Answers to correspondents', Leader, 21 November 1874, p. 6 (B74.11.05). It is introduced by 'W. Townsend. — Baron Von Mueller has been kind enough to furnish the following information respecting your plant, which is
Melilotus

Search for Melilotus in

parviflora, the yellow Bokhara clover, a native around and towards the Meditteranean [ sic ] Sea:—'.
The scented principle is cumarin,
2
M used the alternate spelling 'coumarin' in M to W. Smyth, 24 November 1874 (in this edition as 74-11-24a).
identical with that to which, the scented vernal-grass owes its fragrance. This melilotus is also often called honey-clover, as bees are fond of the flowers. The green Swiss cheese obtains its odor and color mainly from this plant, or some closely allied species. These kinds of plants have been generally encouraged to a small extent in their growth among fodder herbs for the sake of their scent, and I am not aware of any record ascribing to them deleterious properties. Cattle, horses and sheep rather like these plants, though they are not so nutritious as the real clovers. I cannot but assume that some other plant, or impure water, has been the cause of the mischief attributed to the melilotus.