Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M59, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 79.11.11b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

J. Ednie Brown to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1879-11-11 [79.11.11b]. 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/1870-9/1879/79-11-11b-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

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MS found with a specimen of
Eucalyptus leucoxylon

Search for Eucalyptus leucoxylon in

(MEL 1610551), collected by Brown at Wirrabara Forest Reserve, SA, 1879. MS annotation by M: 'Answ 17/11/79.' Letter not found.
Wirrabara Forest Reserve 11/11/79.
Dear Sir Ferdinand,
I am doing all I can for you with regard to E. Behriana
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See also J. E. Brown to M, 28 October 1879.
and hope to write you in reference to this matter in the course of a day or two; meantime, however, I wish to get the name from you of a tree which I find is very numerous in this Forest. I describe it as follows:—
The Bark . This is somewhat persistent but not generally so. It falls off in long "flakes" of about 3 ft. deciduous bark smooth and of a light grey colored.
Foliage — generally somewhat drooping.
Flower — both red and white.
Timber . of a pinkish-blue colour, of good quality and breaks with with long fractures; timber heavier than E. rostrata.
Size of Tree : average 2ft. diameter and from 50 to 80 ft. in height. Largest specimen seen about 45 inches in diameter.
Soil on which found : on various soils and situations: generally best timber on dry iron-stone ridges.
I send you branchlet of the tree showing expanded flowers, buds, and ripe fruit; also the different barks as marked.
From your description in "Bentham" I would take the tree to be E. leucoxylon .
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Bentham (1863-78), vol. 3, p. 210.
Is it this?
It is here called both "Pink Gum" and "Blue Gum".
I am anxious to have the tree known by its Botanical name, and a line from you as to this will much oblige.
Yours very truly
J. E. Brown
Baron F. Von Mueller K.C.M.G.
Government Botanist.
Melbourne.