The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Hermannsburg ¶ 31 October 1881 ¶ Esteemed Baron! ¶ ¶ Enclosed I am again sending you some plants. They are all that I have already sent to you once or several times, but not yet received the special...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M69, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 81.10.31a

Plant names

Indigofera brevidens
Search for Indigofera brevidens in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Marcozamia
Search for Marcozamia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Zamia
Search for Zamia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index

Preferred Citation:

Hermann Kempe to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1881-10-31 [81.10.31a]. 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/81-10-31a>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS found with a specimen of Macrozamia macdonnellii (MEL 237353).

Hermannsburg Oct. 31. 1881

Geehrter Herr Baron!

Anbei sende ich Ihnen wieder einige Pflanzen. Es sind das alles solche, die ich Ihnen bereits ein- oder mehrere Male geschickt, aber noch nicht den speciellen Namen erhielt. 424 z. B. nannten Sie mir als , ausser dieser aber auch noch andere Indigoferae mit derselben Namen, welche ich Ihnen, sobald ich sie erlangen kann, einmal zusammen zur Vergleichung zusenden will.

Mit den e hier habe ich mir alle Mühe gegeben, beide Arten zu erhalten. Es war mir vornehmlich zu thun um die in den Mc.D. R. aber es ist jetzt wegen Wassermangel nicht hinzukommen. Bitte daher, mich zu entschuldigen. Ich habe wirklich gethan was ich konnte. Hätte ich Gelegenheit gehabt nach Alice Springs, würde ich Ihnen von da Material zur Untersuchung geschickt haben, indem da ganz dieselbe Art wächst.

Ich schicke Ihnen hiermit einen Zapfen u Frucht der hier aus den James Ranges, u bemerke dazu, dass bei dieser die innere Blätter ganz gerade, nicht gewunden herauskommen, währen bei derjenigen in Mc.D. Range die innere Blätter wie eine Uhrfeder gewunden herauskommen. Auch denke ich, dass letzteres überhaupt ein anderer Species ist. Ich werde, sobald ich kann dahinkommen, Ihnen alles gewünschte senden, für jetzt ist es unmöglich.

Mit herzlichen Dank für die mit letzter Post zugesandten Samereien u Gruss

Ihr

H Kempe.

Hermannsburg

All place names in this letter are NT.

31 October 1881

Esteemed Baron!

Enclosed I am again sending you some plants. They are all that I have already sent to you once or several times, but not yet received the special names. 424 for example, you named for me as ,

AVH (accessed 18 January 2021) has two MEL specimens with Kempe's collecting number 424, each comprising fruit and stored under Indigofera leucotricha (MEL 585994 (undated) and MEL 585992 (1880)). MEL 585993 is another Kempe specimen under the same name, dated 1879, but with no collecting number reported.

but besides this also other Indigoferae with the same names, which I will send you all together for comparison as soon as I can get them.

With the e

i.e. Macrozamiae .

here I have taken some trouble to get both species. Above all I was to search for the in the Macdonnell Ranges but it did not happen now on account of lack of water. Therefore please excuse me. I have really done what I could. Had I the opportunity to go to Alice Springs, I would have sent material from there to you for investigation, as the same species grows there.

I am sending you herewith a cone and fruit of the here from the James Ranges and note about it that in this the inner leaves come out quite straight, not twisted, whereas in those of the Macdonnell Ranges the inner leaves come out twisted like a clock spring. Also I think that the latter is absolutely another species. I will send you everything desired as soon as I can get there, for the present it is impossible.

The specimen with which Kempe's letter was found was dated by M as having been collected in June 1882.

With sincere thanks for the seeds sent by the last mail and greetings

Your

H Kempe