Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M3,Library, Royal Botanic GardensMelbourne. 76.06.00

Preferred Citation:

George Bentham to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1876-06. 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/1870-9/1876/76-06-00-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

1
Pencilled at top of letter in M's hand: '[Ba]tis, Halorageae Plantagineae (Myriceae Schnizlein)'.
25, WILTON PLACE. S.W.
London
June 1876
My dear Sir
During a short visit I lately paid to Paris
2
Bentham was in Paris from 2 to 10 June 1876. On 5 June, he took his seat as membre correspondant at the Académie des Sciences. See B. Jackson (1906), pp. 236-7.
a second box of your Monocotyledons was I am informed sent off to you from Kew and the bill of lading duly forwarded to you by post.
3
Bill of lading not found.
I trust you will have received it safely
Since my return I have done the Aroideae. I have ascertained that the leaves which Brown mistook for those of Dracontium
4
R. Brown (1810), p. 337; see comments in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 6, p. 155.
belong to the Brachyspatha variabilis which is Schultz's n. 562 from Port Darwin
5
Frederick Schultze collected around Darwin, 1869-70.
— the leaf in your herbarium which you thought might be Brown's plant is I think that of Tacca pinnatifida — The leaves of Dracontium and Brachyspatha are so much alike as to be distinguishable only by a close examination of the venation
I have some difficulty in identifying some of Brown's Monocotyledons from his not having always revised his labels after the publication of the Prodromus
6
R. Brown (1810).
but with some study I think I clear them up pretty well. Several of his Eriocaulons are neither in your collection nor in that of Kew
7
The Australian collections of Robert Brown (1773-1858) were at the British Museum.
I have a few small families to finish up and in a few days hope to attack the Restiaceae
In the box sent you will find a copy of the new part of Genera Plantarum
8
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83). Part 2 of vol. 2 was published in May 1876 (TL2).
I hope some Australian botanists may order the work which is a heavy expense to us
I trust that by the time you receive this you will have kindly sent off the Cyperaceae and Gramineae for which I hope to be ready in the course of September
Yours very truly
George Bentham
Baron F. v. Mueller
Aroideae
Brachyspatha variabilis
Cyperaceae
Dracontium
Eriocaulon
Gramineae
Restiaceae
Tacca pinnatifida