Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS annotation by M: 'Answ 2/2/83. FvM'. Letter not found.

Long Nose Point

Balmain

2

Sydney.

Jan 17 /83

My dear Baron Von Mueller

I am forwarding to you a small box, enclosed in a rough wrapper, containing some fungs, mosses, etc. Those in the upper part of the box, to the yellowish-brown paper, are Specimens collected by me from the Dorrigo Ceder Scrubs where the Beech abounds discovered by the late Mr Curran, of which you have doubtless heard. These brushes are situated between some of the head waters of the Clarence and Bellingen rivers

3

NSW.

at an elevation of about 1500 feet above the level of the Sea.

The other Specimens were collected and forwarded to me by a young lady friend of mine Miss E. Thorneton, on one of the southern tributaries of the Clarence about 40 miles from Grafton, at only a few feet above the level of the Sea. With my portion of the collection you will find the seed of the peculiar, yellow blossoming, leafless, creeping orchid, of which you have heard mention before through our friend Dr Wools.

4

William Woolls.

I endeavoured to preserve some of the flowers but found it impossible

I have forwarded some specimens of Wattles of which I shall be glad to have the names as well as any information you may be kind enough to give me about them. The wattles are, I must confess, quite a puzzle to me, I have noticed them in bloom at irregular periods from late in July, throughout the Spring, and the Summer, till now, but these last blossoms however show more a tendency to wither in the bud, in most cases, than to fully develope into bloom. That marked A is the prevailing kind along the coast, at least from Sydney to the Clarence, and is very plentiful in some of the gullies, and on and near the banks of the streams between the Clarence, and McLeay Rivers. Some of them are of considerable size up to 50 to 60 feet high. B blossomed late in the Spring and is you will percieve showing blossom buds again. I obtained it a day or two ago, a few miles from Sydney but whether in its natural habitat I cannot say. C is out of our Botanic Gardens. A was shedding its seeds in November and coming into full bloom a little later, more especially the trees least burdened with seeds. Some of the blossoms were of a greyish colour, others of a pale yellow wanting the brightness of the spring bloom —

I send you seed vessels and leaves of the Beech and shall be glad of your definition of it, the trees are plentiful and some of them of very large size up to seven and eight feet in diameter.

My collection might have been more perfect but I had little leasure & no means of conveyance excepting the horse I rode.

N.B. I intend to forward the box by one of the A. S. N. Cos boats

5

Australasian Steam Navigation Co.

which I understand will not leave till Saturday the 20th.