The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Education Office, ¶ Dunedin, ¶ June 10th 1878 ¶ My Dear Baron, ¶ ¶ A few days after Easter I went and gathered Donatia in fruit for you. I fear I was rather early as the seeds are scarcely ripe. I ha...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS MS1, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 78.06.10c

Plant names

Carpha
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Cyperaceae
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Danthonia nuda
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Donatia
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Microlaena polynoda
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Muklenbergia
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Raoulia Munroi
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Raoulia Petriensis
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Streptachne
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Preferred Citation:

Donald Petrie to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1878-06-10 [78.06.10c]. 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/1870-9/1878/78-06-10c-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

MS found with a specimen of novae-zelandiae (MEL 2469032). MS annotated by M: 'Rec. & answ. 21/6/78'. Letter not found.

Education Office,

Dunedin,

June 10th 1878

My Dear Baron,

A few days after Easter I went and gathered in fruit for you. I fear I was rather early as the seeds are scarcely ripe. I have examined a good many but I have found it most difficult to get satisfactory sections, owing to the smallness of the seeds. As you are better acquainted with the manipulation of such minute objects I trust you will make sense of them. So far as my observations have gone they entirely confirm your suspicion that is a Stylideous plant. In one beautiful section I made the embryo was manifestly at the bottom of the albumen & of small size. I saw no trace any where of an elongated embryo passing up the axis of the seed. If I had succeeded better in making sections I would have taken full notes of my work, but my ill success frightened me. Can you give the specific names of the enclosed grasses & ? In one or two cases I am not even sure of the genera. I send another plant I got at Stewart Island, whose Nat. order I have not even made out. I have descriptions of all of them more or less complete but I shall not trouble you with them unless they should prove new. No. 1. may be a or a ,

Muehlenbergia?

I can't say which, as I have not seen the generic characters of either. No. 2. I cannot make out as the specimens are very imperfect. A friend thinks it , but I doubt this. No (3) is a Danthonia perhaps a form of “nuda” but I doubt that also. No (4) seems a ; does it grow in Australia? No (5) is the Stewart Island plant. No (6) is (Kirk); No (7) is apparently a new Raoulia I gathered last summer; it is close to 'Munroi'.

Monroi?

I shall feel much obliged if you could give me your opinion of the first five and of (7). I have a bottle of heads of in spirits I can send you if you desire it. Of course the seeds will be killed, but they will be quite fit for examination. In the meantime I content myself with sending you the dried specimens. I was unfortunate in being for a long time out of town when Dr Beccari was here; I am very sorry I did not meet him. In conclusion let me congratulate you on the close of the Flora Austraiensis.

Bentham (1863-78).

It is a work of enormous labour, and of very great value. Your name will long live in connection with it.

In haste,

Yours sincerely,

D. Petrie.

Baron Von Mueller.