Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1871-81, ff. 166-7. 75.05.17c

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Hooker, 1875-05-17 [75.05.17c]. 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/1870-9/1875/75-05-17c-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

1
MS annotation: 'And Dec 22nd & answered sending duplicates of various [cucurbitae]'. Letter not found; but see M to J. Hooker, 24 February 1876 (in this edition as 76-02-24a).
Melbourne
17/5/75
I enclose a few fresh seeds of
Neptunia monosperma

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, dear Dr Hooker, which may add one to your few sensitive plants in the conservatory.
2
W. Thiselton-Dyer to C. Darwin, 16 July 1877, reported that 'All our seeds of Neptunia failed to germinate'. See Burkhardt et al. (1985- ), vol. 25, p. 289.
By the despatch bag you will receive parts of a male amentum, and of a female rachis of the Cycas, which succeeded to push anew at Kew.
3
See M to J. Hooker, May 1874 (in this edition as 74-05-00).
I fancy, you will be eager to bring this successful horticutural feat before the possessors of large conservatories through the bot. Magazine. The transmitted Australian
Mahernia

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or
Hermannia

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may interest you. As the genus extends to Arabia, the occurrence of a species in Central Australia is after all not so very remarkable.
Don't you think, that your own
Eucalyptus urnigera

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, E. coccifera and E. vernicosa would grow in dry places of South England (not Kew). Surely 300 out the 365 days are wet in the mountains, where these particular species grow, besides lots of snow falls on them in the winter. So the climate of England, even with its long autumnal moisture can not be too wet for them
Sir Will. Macarthur will send me the dry plants, which his collectors will or may gather in Mr M'Leays Expedition to New Guinea
4
Macarthur's collector was Thomas Reedy; see Sydney morning herald, 20 October 1875, p. 6, and B75.11.01, p. 3 (where, however, the wrong initial is given).
and young Baron Von Huegel,
5
Anatole von Hügel; in 1875 'Baron A. von Huegel intended to accompany [Rev. George Brown to New Guinea] as ornithologist, and actually embarked for that purpose, with two attendants, but he did not proceed far', Illustrated Adelaide news, 1 February 1876, p. 6. There are no specimens attributed to him in MEL (AVH, accessed 3 January 2022).
with whose venerable father I maintained a correspondence til his death, will also place his New Guinea and other collections at my disposal.
In all likelihood you may receive also collections from the Sydney bot Garden, to be formed by a collector,
6
Charles Walter.
who embarked in the same Mission ship with the young Baron. In such an event, I would propose to leave all Indian forms to you, but wish much to reserve the elaboration of the Australian and also all alpine types to myself. Of course after a close investigation of the alps here, I am much interested in the vegetation of the icy zones of the nearest country. Asa Gray also wrote some time since, that polynesia, of which N Guinea to a certain extent is a part, ought to fall, so far as plants are concerned, to myself as an Australian worker. If we all divide the labor, so that double doing is avoided, we may be able to complete the system of plants by the end of the century in its main details.
Trusting that your sadness
7
Presumably a reference to the death of Hooker's first wife, Frances Harriet, née Henslow, on 13 November 1874; see J. Hooker to M, 30 November 1874.
has not impaired your strength as it has mine, I remain, dear Doctor Hooker, your regardful
Ferd. von Mueller.
I delivered yesterday a long lecture on tea culture before the Agricultural Club of Ballarat.
8
B75.05.01. The lecture was delivered on 15 May, see report in Australasian, 22 May 1875, p. 663.
Bauers figures of
Cycas media

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(or if you like
Cycas angulata

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) are very good.
9
Miquel (1842), tabs. I, III, drawn by Ferdinand Bauer.