The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Richmond ¶ July 4/79 ¶ My dear Baron ¶ ¶ I have forwarded the Book to Mr. Alkin, ¶ & also your kind letter for his perusal. ¶ Dr. Ward lately sent me a flower of an Orchid which he says came from T...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M46, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Malbourne. 79.07.04

Plant names

Dendrobium Sumneri
Search for Dendrobium Sumneri in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Dendrobium bigibbum
Search for Dendrobium bigibbum in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Eucalyptus microphylla
Search for Eucalyptus microphylla in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Eucalyptus siderophloia
Search for Eucalyptus siderophloia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Eucalyptus stricta
Search for Eucalyptus stricta in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index

Preferred Citation:

William Woolls to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1879-07-04. 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/1870-9/1879/79-07-04-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

MS found with a specimen of (MEL 624065).

Richmond

NSW.

July 4/79

My dear Baron

I have forwarded the Book to Mr. Alkin,

It is not known what book was forwarded to Alkin. If, as seems likely, it was one of M's publications, his most recent book was B79.06.04, The native plants of Victoria... However, it could have been the earlier Introduction to botanic teachings … (B77.08.01), which was cited in Alkin's Floral chart (Alkin (1886)) where he recommended it as an aid to pupils. The Chart was reported as having been 'warmly commended by such an excellent authority as Baron von Mueller, the Government botanist of Victoria' ( Gympie times and Mary River mining gazette , 11 May 1889, p. 3).

& also your kind letter for his perusal.

Letter not found.

Dr. Ward lately sent me a flower of an Orchid which he says came from Thursday Island.

Torres Strait, Qld.

I thought at first, it was , because the colour appeared to be pink, but I believe it is D. bigibbum . He says the colour is variable. Can you recognise it?

I will procure & send you some of the Kino from E. siderophloia as soon as I have an opportunity. Cunningham’s E. microphylla is very like E. stricta , but distinct from it in bark & th veining of the leaves. I have only leaves & seed vessels.

Yours very sincerely

W. Woolls

Is the labellum that of D. bigibbum ?