Document information

Physical location:

Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide, SA. 84.02.14b

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Ralph Tate, 1884-02-14 [84.02.14b]. 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/1880-9/1884/84-02-14b-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

14/2/84
About a week ago, dear Prof. Tate, I sent the msc. of the elaboration of Mr Winnecke's plants to that Gentleman, as he was anxious that it should accompany his Report. At the same time I wrote, that if he saw finally any difficulty of dealing with the matter, he should offer you the msc. for the R.S. Of course, young travellers, who have still to win their spurs, wish to make as much show with their expeditions as they can. So you cannot blame us, as regards the ideas we had on the subject. Only two new plants were among the lot, the
Isotropis

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and
Triumfetta

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, but he had rather remarkable varieties of some species.
The geography of plants gains nothing in particular by his itineration, for he gave no record of localities; had he done so, his collections would have served QL. & N.A.
1
Qld and Northern Australia.
as well. I may add, that I paid about £5 for the specimens. Should he go out again, as I hope, he is sure to do better. As a first attempt he did very fairly for Botany.
I will send you a specimen of Atripl
2
Atriplex.
limbatum
A poor Assistant of mine died at Port Adelaide last week.
3
Carl Groener.
He prostrated a naturally most vigorous frame prematurely by intemperance of late years. His wife was with him.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Glad of your new prospects in K. Isl.
4
Kangaroo Island, SA.
My cough is not so severe now, still not subdued.
Perhaps Mr Winnecke would give you the msc. on his Expedition-plants for your R.S., unless his report was likely soon to appear.
5
See B84.08.02 and B86.05.01. The latter paper has the following note at the beginning: 'The following list was published in Mr. Winnecke's official report, but has received corrections from the author, and was ordered to be printed in the Transactions, by the Council of the Royal Society, December 14, 1884.'
Like in so many other instances Baileys naming of plants is faulty as regards A. semibaccatum, as the very name proves.
6
M is referring to F. M. Bailey's treatment of Atriplex semibaccata in Bailey (1883), p. 405.