Ferdinand von Mueller

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MS found with a specimen of Eucalyptus marginata (MEL 1611903).

Linnean Society,

Burlington House, London, W.

Septr. 18th, 18 78.

Dear Baron von Mueller,

In accordance with your request I send by way of loans , (for your own information, but as at this time of year, it has not been possible to obtain the formal permission of the Council, please not to publish the fact) one or two small fragments from the type - specimen in Smith's Herbarium, of the

Eucalyptus emarginata

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marginata?

described by him in our Transactions.

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J. E. Smith (1802).

I also send a sketch from his specimen which will give you a pretty accurate idea of the proportions of the leaves, peduncles, &c., but as it is the first time for many years that, with my failing sight, I have tried to draw a plant, and as I have, moreover, been hard pressed for time, I am afraid it is very far from being as good as I could wish. I have copied the inscription on the sheet, and you will observe that it confirms the statement in the Transactions, as to the seeds having been obtained from Port Jackson.

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NSW.

There is no mention of King George's Sound,

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WA.

or of Menzies, and I cannot make out on what grounds Mr Bentham assumes that the specimen in the Banksian Herbarium which accords precisely with Smith's, (Our Library having been closed for a few weeks, I have been enabled to compare the two)

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'Our Library having been closed for a few weeks, I have been enabled to compare the two' is a MS footnote by Kippist, marked to be inserted at this point. Parentheses are an editorial addition.

is specifically identical with the much more coriaceous -leaved floribunda of Hügel, with its narrow falcate, acuminate, nearly concolorous leaves, and with a differently formed calyptra, much longer as it seems to me, in proportion to the calyx tube.

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Bentham (1863-78), vol. 3, p. 209: 'The species was originally described by Smith from specimens raised at Kew from seeds brought by Menzies from King George's Sound.' M discussed the taxonomic confusion surrounding E. marginata in Eucalyptographia, Decade 7 (B80.04.04), citing but not endorsing Kippist's view that the specimen Smith described came from Port Jackson.

Of this plant which I have only seen from the West Coast, I send you, for comparison, a leaf and flowers which need not be returned. They are unquestionably from K. George's Sound; not from Hügel, but Mr Bentham seems to have adopted my identification

I don't imagine that any Herbarium exists (Dr Trimen never heard of such a colln, any more than myself[)]

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editorial addition. (Dr Trimen … myself [)] is a marginal note by Kippist.

in connexion with Donn's Hortus Cantabr:,

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Donn (1800), p. 61, refers to Eucalyptus marginata but provides no description or diagnosis.

and if there were, as the work is a mere List , Sir James Smith having been the first to describe the species, his name must, of course, stand.

It appears to me that the East coast plant is, in addition to the difference in texture and the paler under surface, further characterised by the prominence of the reticuled venation on the upper surface.

Thus much for the Eucalyptus , of which you will now be in a position to judge for yourself.

In answer to your enquiry with respect to your Subscription, I may say that it has always been very promptly and regularly paid by Messrs Dulau, and as they are really very methodical people, and very regular in claiming what is due in return to the Australian Fellows whose subscriptions are paid by or through them, I should be very sorry that the arrangement should be disturbed. By our regulations, Fellows abroad, who have not compounded, are required to name a London Agent. The plan of sending Annual Subscrns by Bill or P.O. order often gives a deal of trouble, to us, and prevents the Fellow from receiving his publicns so early as he otherwise would.

I was truly grieved to hear of the death of M. Thozet. I handed over the printed notice of him enclosed in your last to Dr. Trimen, who will probably insert it in the next no. of the Journal of Botany.

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Trimen was the editor of the Journal of botany: an obituary notice of Thozet appeared under 'Botanical news' in the October issue (vol. 16 [1878], p. 320).

I had much pleasure in receiving the Certificate in favour of .....

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Kippist left a string of dots in lieu of a name. No nomination of a Fellow signed by M, Trimen and Carruthers has been found. At neither of the next two meetings of the Society after Kippist wrote this letter (7 and 21 November 1878) were Australian residents among the persons elected.

a new member (I am writing away from home, spending a week by the sea-side, so cannot recall his name) I cannot but regret, however, that you continually send informal Certificates, signed only by yourself . Our bye-laws recognize only personal knowledge, "either of the Candidate or of his works." Our Fellows here, therefore, naturally object to sign the Certif[ica]te of one of whom they know nothing especially as we have now so many Australian Fellows, many of them recomd by yourself, who would doubtless gladly second your recommendn, and would be gratified by being appealed to, and be all the more likely, if reminded of their privilege, to bestir themselves in introducing new Fellows. I may remind you too, that we now rarely see either Sir Joseph Hooker or Mr Bentham, who used formerly to endorse your signature On the present occasion, however, Mr. Carruthers & Dr Trimen have kindly signed the Certificate, tho' the promised pamphlets have not yet arrived.

Baron von Mueller

F.R.S., L.S. &c.