Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M46, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 78.10.19

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

William Woolls to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1878-10-19. 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/1870-9/1878/78-10-19-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

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MS found with specimen Lastreopsis decomposita [original label: Aspidium decomp.] collected by Louisa Calvert née Atkinson and sent to M by Woolls (MEL 1560890).
Richmond
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NSW.
Oct 19/78
My dear Doctor,
I am sorry to find that you are still indisposed, & hope soon to hear that you are yourself again.
The two varieties (?)
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The '(?)' is Woolls's.
of
Nephrodium decompositum

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differ principally in the rhizome & the shape of the segments of the fronds,
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of the fronds interlined here and below.
The typical one has a creeping rhizome & toothed segments of the fronds, whilst the other has a short rhizome with acuminate or sharp segments of the fronds. I enclose fragments of each & also of N. microsorum from Norfolk Island, & of one which poor Macgillivray sent me from Clarence River
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John MacGillivray spent his last years at Grafton, NSW.
marked var. marginans
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Variety name not found as a formally published name.
which I suppose belongs to the acuminate form. The rhizomes which I sent you some years since, were procured by our dear friend Mrs Calvert.
With respect to
Polypodium punctatum

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, the form here is the ordinary P. rugosulum , which appears less soriferous & more coriaceous than the
Hypolepis tenuifolia

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of Norfolk Island & Northern Australia. My specimen is from Norfolk Island, in which you will see that the position of the sori is marginal, which is not the case in P. rugosulum . I do not know the habit of H. tenuifolia , but P. rugosulum has a straggling & almost climbing habit. It is also harsher in texture.
I hope you recd the fossils which I sent by the last mail.
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Letter not found.
Yours very sincerely
W. Woolls
P. S.
I think you will have to make another Alsophila . I could fancy A. Cooperi to be a small variety of A. excelsa , but not of A. australis . Perhaps some friends at Illawarra or Kiama
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NSW.
may procure fronds […]
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illegible – MS damaged.
had my specimens, but my impression is that the venation of A. excelsa & cooperi is more forked than that of A. Australis .