Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M46, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 81.10.08b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

William Woolls to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1881-10-08 [81.10.08b]. 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/1880-9/1881/81-10-08b-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

1
MS found with an undetermined specimen of Swainsona (MEL 2063064).
Richmond N.S.W
Oct 8/81
My dear Baron,
I send you from this day's Herald , a letter of the late Mr Bentham's,
2
See Sydney morning herald, 8 October 1881, p. 9. The article presents the text of a letter from Bentham to Woolls dated 17 October 1865 that Woolls, prompted by news of Bentham's death, had sent to the paper along with a covering letter of his own. Bentham, however, was not dead. Regarding the false report that he had died, see M to J. Hooker, 8 October 1881. In his letter to Woolls, Bentham records his indebtedness to M for his help with the Flora australiensis, and then goes on to write as follows:
Having finished the other Myrtaceae, I am now at
Eucalyptus

Search for Eucalyptus in

, the most dreadful of all genera for the monograph, but I had at the outset begged Dr. Mueller to do it entirely himself, but he had not time, so that all I can now do is to verify the old species, which will be all named in his herbarium, and to give in my "Flora" such a rough account of the genus as is within my power, trusting that he will then give us an elaborate monograph with plates, which from him would be most valuable.
which I was anxious to get printed, as it shows how much he felt indebted to you in regard to the Flora Australiensis . I hope the publication of the letter may do you service.
Mr Richards has promised for you more copies of my Census!
3
Woolls (1880). Richards, as Government Printer of NSW, was the publisher of Woolls's book.
If he does not forward them, I will ask for them when I go to Sydney. I have promised to write for him a popular article on Australian Plants but, having a great deal of parochial work, I am afraid I shall not have much time
When are we to have a report of the woods of Eucalypts which I sent you last year? I am getting a few more.
An intelligent friend of mine who has devoted some time to examining the cellular tissue of plants, says, that in the petals,
4
About ten words following crossed out.
the form of the cells differs more in introduced than in indigenous plants, & that especially
Dampiera Brownii

Search for Dampiera Brownii in

, in all its forms, has different cells from most of D. stricta . He thinks that these differences may sometimes be useful in distinguishing species. I see Prof. Balfour says the form of the cells often differs in the same plant,
5
Reference not identified.
but nevertheless my friends ideas may have some foundation.
I think that the pink or red & dark brownish purple forms of Swainsona which Mr B. unites in S. galegifolia are distinct. The flowers of the dark one are smaller & the wings are invariably ciliated. Perhaps the latter may be his S. brachyptera .
Acacia elongata

Search for Acacia elongata in

has not yet formed pods fully
Yours very sincerely
W. Woolls