The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Sydney March 28th 1877 ¶ My Dear Baron, ¶ ¶ I have just received from the propagator in the Botanical Gardens a Pod of Mucuna sp & as it was said to bear elegant red clusters of flowers it may be M. ...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M132, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 77.03.28

Plant names

Mucuna Bennettii
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Preferred Citation:

George Bennett to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1877-03-28. 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/1870-9/1877/77-03-28-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS found with a specimen of Mucuna gigantea (MEL 726724). The correspondent is George Bennett, d. 1893.

Sydney March 28th 1877

My Dear Baron,

I have just received from the propagator in the Botanical Gardens a Pod of Mucuna sp & as it was said to bear elegant red clusters of flowers it may be M. Bennettii

Spelled M. Bennetti in M's description, B77.12.03, p. 63.

I suspect he got it from Goldie & if so he procured it at Port Moresby but he would not permit him to have seeds as he did not wish to have it grown here as he had sent them to Europe. I send it to you in case it should be of any service to you. I received a copy from you of the Fifth Part of the Papuan Plants

B77.02.01.

which is very interesting & for which many thanks

D'Albertis

Luigi Maria d'Albertis.

has not yet received a copy. He is always asking me what you say about his Lemon fruits ? With our united kindest regards I remain

Yours sincerely

George Bennett M.D.

Baron Von Mueller F.R.S

P.S. We do not leave until the 6th of April so I hope to hear from you again.

'Dr and Mrs George Bennett' were passengers, en route to Europe, on RMS Zealandia, which departed Sydney for San Francisco on 7 April 1877 ('Shipping', Sydney morning herald, 7 April 1877. p. 4).