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RBG Kew, Kew Correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1871-82, f. 249. 79.10.30

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Hooker, 1879-10-30. 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/1870-9/1879/79-10-30-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

30/10/79.
Allow me to remark, dear Sir Joseph, that I have compared 6445 of the bot. Mag.
1
Hooker (1865-1904), vol. 105, t. 6445; see also M to J. Hooker, 10 October 1879.
with the true
Lasiopetalum Baueri

Search for Lasiopetalum Baueri in

, and am convinced that it is a small state of
Guichenotia ledifolia

Search for Guichenotia ledifolia in

,
2
Annotated by D. Oliver: F. v. Mueller appears to be right.
of which I gathered seeds at the end of 1867 when in West Australia, where L. Baueri not occurs, altho’ I have many years ago and repeatedly also sent from my Gardenplants the seeds of that Lasiopetalum to Europe.
The plate 6445 shows the peculiar anthers of G. ledifolia, attenuated at the summit & opening with short slits, not almost truncated & opening with pores at the top only; the ovary is 5 celled as in Guichenotia, not 3 celled as usually in Lasiopetalum, and the foliage is also that of G. ledifolia, not of L. Baueri; the nervature of the calyx is in young flowers and in the small varieties of Guich. ledifolia not very visible; hence the very pardonable mistake of confusing the two, such as I might also easily have fallen into had I not moved for so many years among Australian plants.
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller