The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Queensland ¶ 6th December 1882 ¶ My dear Baron Von Mueller, ¶ ¶ I am now shipping three specimens of the Fraser's Isd ¶ Zamia, but at this time of year cannot get the ripe cones, but hope to do so s...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M95, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 82.12.06a

Plant names

Zamia
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Preferred Citation:

Archibald McDowall to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1882-12-06 [82.12.06a]. 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/1880-9/1882/82-12-06a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

MS extracted from an unrecorded specimen folder at MEL, together with a MS draft in M's hand of B83.02.01 in which he acknowledges McDowell as the source of specimens of 'this rare species'. The draft has been returned to the relevant collections of Encephalartos douglasii, MEL 269564–7.

MS annotation by M: 'Answ 6/1/83. FvM.' Letter not found.

Queensland

6th December 1882

My dear Baron Von Mueller,

I am now shipping three specimens of the Fraser's Isd

Fraser Island, Qld.

, but at this time of year cannot get the ripe cones, but hope to do so soon

I have put in two dried immature cones that I have had some months — they are not worth sending except that they do not take up any extra room

I have sent you two specimens of a with a twisted leaf that I got on the Elliott River near Bundaberg

Qld.

also three (3)? immature cones of same

Also an allied specimen with a narrow leaf from near Mt Bopple

Now spelled Mt Bauple; near Maryborough, Qld.

— they are not any of them first class specimens but are the only ones obtainable at the present time

Our plantation of Kauri Pine on Frasers Island is turning out as if there were good grounds for expecting successful results.

One of the men at Fraser's Isld plantation tells me he has the Dugong grass ready for you & I am sorry I cannot send it with this shipment but for some reason he did not bring it up this time, possibly he wishes to send it to you personally, I told him that perhaps he had better do so, but it is easily obtained at any time.

Hoping to send you better specimens of the s, some day I remain

Yours Sincerely

A M'Dowall

See also A. McDowall to M, 21 February 1883 (in this edition as 83-02-21a).

P.S.

I shall be glad it you will tell me the names of the specimens I send & can you refer me to some work giving information about Cycads — I am in blissful ignorance of what is known of our Queensland s

A M'D