Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M16, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 79.06.04a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Patrick O'Shanesy to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1879-06-04 [79.06.04a]. 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/1870-9/1879/79-06-04a-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

1
MS found with a specimen of Solanum mitchellianum (MEL 12124). MS annotation by M: Answ 12/6/79'. Letter not found.
Cometville
2
Qld.
June 4 1879
My Dear Baron von Mueller,
As I always like to see honor given where honour is due, I have the greatest pleasure in congratulating you on the honour of Knighthood confered upon you,
3
See Queen Victoria to M, 24 May 1879.
because it is encouraging to see a man's real value appreciated.
I have just received the names of some of my last contribution, for which I am thankful, as also for the compliment you have done me in naming the new
Eragrostis

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after me.
4
No
Eragrostis

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named in O'Shanesy's honour published by M has been found (APNI, accessed 30 January 2022).
Perhaps when you have more time to spare you will have a look over the remaining ones. The flowers of Solanum n. 4038, are blue, and about 8 lines diameter, the berry is globular, 2-3 lines diameter, at first purple but red when ripe, I know it by the name of S. sceleratum .
5
No species of this name was found in IPNI or APNI (accessed 23 December 2019).
I shall soon send you another Solanum which is I believe different to your S. densevestitum , the flowers are violet, upwards of an inch diameter, and the berry is globular, variegated, and nearly one inch diameter. The leaves are ovate lanceolate, somewhat obtuse, and obtusely cordate at the base.
Your
Solanum nemophilum

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is also found here, or rather at Duaringa You have not refered to my n. 4060. It is not a
Keraudrinea

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?
6
Keraudrenia?
I find it now to be a much branched spreading shrub of 3-4½ feet, the carpels do do
7
Word repeated.
not seperate when ripe, but cohere firmly forming a somewhat truncate capsule of ¾ inch diameter.
I am sorry I cannot at present send you more specimens of the Eucalypts you require. The bark of E. exserta is brown thick sof
8
soft?
and fibrous, resembling that of E. corymbosa at first sight, but that of the latter is harder, and not fibrous. n. 4051 is not an Ironbark, it is I believe, the tallest of the Queensland Eucalypts that I am acquainted with and it is distributed throughout the brigalow scrubs from a few miles East of the Dawson River to at least the Nogoa river westwards, and probably farther. At what points of the Dawson and McKenzie rivers did you touch?
9
i.e. during the North Australian Exploring Expedition, 1855-6.
Poor Leichardt must have passed by the present site of this township in one of his Expeditions, as there is a tree on the bank of the Comet river marked L.L. Dig
10
L.L. above Dig .
in Lat. 23.33. S, and Long. 148.30 E.
Yours &c in haste,
P. A. O'Shanesy