The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 28/2/78. ¶ ¶ I write this to you, dear Mr Bentham, from near the Grampians, ¶ being engaged as a Commissioner with 6 members of our Parliament, to enquire into the prospect of continuing the supply ...

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Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1871-81, ff. 207-8. 78.02.28

Plant names

Acacia decurrens
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Acacia pycnantha
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Bambusaceae
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Glumaceae
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Graptophyllum
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Microstylis
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Bentham, 1878-02-28. 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/1870-9/1878/78-02-28-final.odt>, accessed May 7, 2026

28/2/78.

I write this to you, dear Mr Bentham, from near the Grampians,

Vic.

being engaged as a Commissioner with 6 members of our Parliament, to enquire into the prospect of continuing the supply of tannersbark of & your A. pycnantha along with what is needed for the local tanneries here in years to come. If it interests you and Sir Jos Hooker I will send you the report;

B78.14.01.

but from my former Directorial Colleague at Kew

Joseph Hooker.

I hear so rarely, that I have almost lost the courage to send him any such document any more.

I owe you also some notes of corrections & additions to the , altho' I am not at all clear, whether you care for them. This however I should mention, that Australia is not altogether destitute of , however poor this continent may be in this grand form of gramineous plants.

'Of the conspicuous tribe … no representative has as yet been detected in Australia'; Bentham (1863-78), vol. 7, p. 459. M had previously published a reference to the presence in Australia of Bambusa arundinaceae in B67.12.01, p. 86. See also M to G. Bentham, 12 January 1878.

Thus one tall bamboo grows 80 miles up the Adelaide River

NT.

, an other in the back country of Camden Harbour,

WA.

while Carron saw one during Kennedy's sad expedition between Endeavour-River & Cape York,

Qld.

as recorded in the narrative of that disastrous journey.

J. MacGillivray (1852), vol. 2, pp. 134-5.

When the Palm country of N E Queensland becomes more unlocked, at present closed by jungle fevers & cannibals, then probably also more will come to light, though of course it is so diff[icult]

Text obscured by binding.

to get their flowers.

One of the greatest omission in the 7 volumes

Bentham (1863-78).

consists in this: the Murray River (after all only a narrow stream) should cover localities for three colonies (S.A., V., N.S.W) whereas frequently two or even only one colony is mentioned in connection with the Murray-R. Except the alpine plants at or near its sources, the desert — & lowlands — plants extend from the junction of the Mitta Mitta right down to Lake Alexandrina on both banks of the river. This I repeatedly pointed out before.

For example, see M to G. Bentham, 15 July 1873 (in this edition as 73-07-15a) and M to G. Bentham, 26 September 1873 (in this edition as 73-09-26a).

I am not yet ready with my arrangements for the supplemental volume, the point of cost for the print being the obstacle; and I shall have great difficulty even to push through before the Eucalyptus Atlas.

B79.13.11 etc.

Meanwhile I add to my notes daily, & got access to new localities during the latter part of last year widely throughout West Australia.

For discussion of the proposed supplemental volume, see Clements (1998) and Lucas (2003).

I have now also a from North Queensland & a spinescent small-flowered .

See F. Bailey to M, February 1878 (in this edition as 78-02-00a). M described bernaysii in B78.03.01, p. 21, and spinigerum in B78.03.01, p. 17.

Dr Beccari has visited me here a few weeks ago,

See also M to J. von Haast, 8 February 1878 (in this edition as 78-02-08b).

& I have made arrangements with that excellent & generous man for the elaboration of the Papuan plants, so that we shall not clash. There is material enough to provide for all present workers in Europe, without one encroaching on the fair territory of an other.

My prospects here are still cheerless, though the present Ministry has acted far fairer to me than that of former years, since Sir Henry Barkly left. I wished to God, that I had such a sterling man here to appeal to. He would soon resuscitate my Department, with his genial circumspectness, superior intellect and active energy. I cannot express to you, how sad I feel, how I am daily hindered in my work, & with what piratical audacity advantage is taken of my work & the resources, which I established.

Regardfully your

Ferd von Mueller.

I have just received the proofsheets, continuing the Gramineae.

Bentham (1863-78), vol. 7, pp 449–669, sheets 2G – 2U.

It must have taxed you severely, to work out all the details connectedly.