Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M86B, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 85.01.17

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Mordecai Cooke to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1885-01-17. 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/1880-9/1885/85-01-17-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

1
The list is one of a number sent by Cooke that are now in the library of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. This list comprises one folio of four pages, plus one additional page carrying the valediction and date. The four-page folio has been annotated by J. H. Willis as being part of the list that includes the date, and there are matching pin holes in the sheets.
Cooke has evidently added ✓ marks against many entries, as they are in ink that has the same appearance as that in the text. The few cases where entries have been marked with a pencilled 'X' may be M's annotations, but this is difficult to confirm.
Cooke's author attributions do not always coincide with those used in Cooke (1892); he has evidently use 'Fr' where the name is included in Fries (1874), which is frequently cited together with the author in Cooke (1892). Where the author attribution does not match that given in FNI or Index mycorum , this is indicated in the notes. Not all of these species are currently recognised as being Australian: May (1890), p. 268, points out that a 'tendency to place Australian collections under European species has consequently meant that a large number of European species (over 500) have been recorded from Australia'. Names have therefore been checked in Index fungorum if they are not present in FNI. FNI does not list purely infrageneric taxa, so where these are used they have been checked in Cooke (1892) or other sources identified in the notes.
Names of places are identified only at their first appearance in the list; names of people are identified only when there is possibility of confusion with others mentioned in the correspondence.
FNI and Index fungorum were accessed 14 May 2021 .
Australian Fungi -1884
Drawings returned of—
2
There is a ✓ to the left of this and the next twelve lines.
Stereum elegans

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Fr
Blue Mountains
3
NSW.
22
Tremella mesenterica

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Fr
4
FNI gives Retzius, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Gippsland
5
Vic.
Tisdall
22
Geaster floriformis

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Vitt
6
In FNI and Index fungorum as Geastrum florifiorme .
Do
18
Tremella albida

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Huds
Do
25
Schizophyllum commune

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Fr
Do
21
Peziza vesiculosa

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Fr
7
In addition to the ✓ there is a pencilled X against this line. Index fungorum attributes this name to Bulliard, although it lists some varieties named by Fries.
Do
16
Agaricus (Mycena) galericulatus Fr
8
FNI gives Scopoli, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
24
Agaricus (Mycena) polygrammus Fr
9
Index fungorum gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name. In addition to the ✓ there is a pencilled X against this line.
Do
17
Chlorosplenium aeruginosum

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Tul
Do
26
Peziza apiculata Cooke
10
In addition to the ✓ there is a pencilled X against this line.
Do
19
Agaricus (Lepiola) clypeolarius Fr
11
FNI gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
23
Polyporus (Anodermei) opiculiferus Cke
12
Name not found in FNI, Index fungorum , Cooke (1892) or Cooke (1892a). In addition to the ✓ there is a pencilled X against this line.
Do
Clavaria amethystina

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Fr
13
FNI gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name. In addition to the ✓ there is a pencilled X against this line.
Mount Wellington
14
Mt Wellington, Tas; see M to T. Stephens, August 1884 (in this edition as 84-08-00d).
12
Baeomyces

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sp (a Lichen)
Gippsland
Tisdall
15
Agaricus (Leptonia)?
Do
14
Agaricus indeterminable
Do
11
Panus

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sp, or
Cantharellus

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sp,
Do
10
Looks like a Marasmius
Do
9
Either Peziza or
Dacrymyces

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(no fruit)
Do
13
Agaricus (section uncertain)
Do
8
Agaricus (Mycena) galericulatus Fr
Stringers Creek
15
Almost certainly at Walhalla, Vic. FNI gives Scopoli, not Fries, as the author of the name. There is a ✓ at the left of the line, and against 'Stringers Creek'.
16
Do deleted .
5
Lycoperdon sp?
2
Russula citrina

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Gil (? if acrid)
17
There is a pencilled X at the left of the line. See May (1990), p. 267, for a discussion of the difficulty of attributing species names without adequate notes of their characteristics.
6
probably
Polyporus spumeus

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Fr
1
｝
Indeterminable
7
13
Agaricus (Armillaria) sp
4
Agaricus (Collybia) xanthopus Fr affinis
3
Agaricus (Pholiota) radicosus Fr?
18
FNI gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name. The text ends before the end of the page, with a squiggle under the last number in the list.
Specimens
19
Text begins the second page of the folded folio. Unless otherwise noted all entries in this section have a ✓ at the left of the line.
25
Peziza vesiculosa

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Fr
20
Index fungorum attributes this name to Bulliard, although it lists some varieties named by Fries.
Guntawang
21
Grazing property near Gulgong, NSW.
Hamilton
22
Almost certainly Alexander Hamilton.
Polyporus Tricholoma

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Mont
Endeavour River
23
Qld.
22
Polyporus (Anodermei) Weinmanni Fr
24
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line; FNI does not list purely infrageneric taxa, but see Fries (1836-8), p. 452. It is not listed in Index fungorum (accessed 22 April 2021), but this combination is used in Peck (1877), p. 37; Anodermei is used as an infrageneric in other combinations, for example in Berkeley & Broome (1887), pp. 218-9.
N Gipps Land
18
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Mount Napier V
25
Grampians, Vic.
4
Hexagona
26
Hexagonia?
decipiens Berk
Moonan Brook NSW
Polyporus pelliculosus

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Berk
Mount Napier
Polyporus (Ano) fragilis Fr
27
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line; Ano= Anodermei.
Gipps Land
Polyporus (Ano) spiculiferus Cke
28
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line; Ano= Anodermei.
Gipps Land
Webb
29
Not identified.
23
Do
Do
N Gipps Land
Teesdall
30
Tisdall.
Polyporus rubiginosus

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Berk
Clarence River
31
NSW.
Polyporus (Res) atrovinosus Cke
32
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line; Res = Resupinatus; see Cooke (1881-3), vol. 10, p. 56 (although Cooke described it without that infrageneric name in Cooke (1881-3), vol. 10, p. 131).
Mt Napier
Badhamia

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sp too much crushed for identification
Sydney
Miss Scott
33
There is no ✓ against this line. Both Harriet and Helena Scott sent specimens to M; the only fungus attributed to one of them listed on AVH (accessed 24 April 2021), MEL 1054029, is labelled "Miss Scott". After her marriage in 1864, Helena's specimens are recorded under he married name of 'Mrs Forde', and it is probable that the specimens sent to Cooke will have been collected by Harriet.
Agaricus (Trich) brevipes Bull
Barossa Range
34
SA. In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line; Trich = Tricholoma.
Scleroderma geaster

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Fr
near Melbourne
Polyporus grammocephalus

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B
Mossman River
35
North Qld.
Grandinia australis

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B
Gipps Land
Polyporus xanthopus

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Fr
Mossman River
Polyporus flabelliformis

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Fr
36
FNI gives Klozsch, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
1
Acidium &
｝
lagenophorae Cke
Omeo
37
Vic. In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Puccinia
2
Puccinia malvacearum

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[C..a]
38
The author cited in Cooke (1892), p. 338, is Montagne.
Do
3
Uredo bulbines

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Kalch
39
Not in FNI or Index fungorum ; in Cooke (1892), p. 409, the name is given as a synonym of Uromyces bulbinis . In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Do
5
Nectria ferruginea

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Cke
40
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Do
6
Ustilago digitariae

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Rabh
41
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Do
7
Sterile spots
Do
8
｝
no fungus found
Do
9
10
Asteroma Rosae

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Fr
42
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Do
11
Imperfect Sep tori a (no fruit)
Do
12
Cyathus

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sp. too young to name the species
Do
14
larvae of insect
Do
Coccus on
Acacia verticillata

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Gipps Land
Dictyonema membranaceum

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Ag
43
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
Morchella conica

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Pers
44
There is no ✓ against this line.
G
Polyporus ochroleucus

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B
Omeo
B
Ileodictyon gracile

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B
Omeo
Claviceps purpurea

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Tul (Ergot)
45
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line
West Victoria
J
Peziza apiculata Cke
Omeo
21
Polyporus oblectans

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B
Do
N
Polysaccum pisocarpium

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Do
Polyporus membranaceus

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Fr (? Young)
Shoalhaven
46
NSW. There is no ✓ against this line.
D
Scleroderma vulgare

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Fr
47
FNI gives Hornemann, not Fries, as the author of the name, although Index fungorum has one variety named by Fries.
Omeo
Geaster australis

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B
St Vincents
48
i.e., the St. Vincent Gulf coast of the Yorke Peninsula, SA, where Tepper was based at the time.
Tepper
M
Stereum elegans

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Fr
Omeo
I
Agaricus (Pleur) candescens Mull
Do
49
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right. Pleur = Pleurotus (see Cooke (1892), p. 22).
Agaricus (Coll) fusipes Bull?
Do
50
There is no ✓ against this line. Coll = Collybia (see Cooke (1892), p. 18).
10
Agaricus (Arm) melleus Vahl
Do
51
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right. Arm = Armillaria (see Cooke (1892), p. 11).
A
Agaricus (Hypholoma) fasicularis Fr
Do
52
FNI gives Hudson, not Fries, as the author of the name. In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right.
Hydnum clavarioides

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B & C var
Richmond River
53
NSW.
Hodgkinson
54
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line. 'Hodgkinson' is interlined and the ditto marks in the next two entries may refer only to 'Richmond River'.
Agaricus (Nauc) centunculus Fr
Do
55
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right. Nauc = Naucoria (see Cooke (1892), p. 53).
Agaricus (Pleur) Tasmanicus B
Do
56
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right. Although: Cooke (1892), pp. 111-127 does not use infrageneric names in Polyporus, Berkeley & Broome (1887), p. 218, use the infrageneric name Pleuropus for another species.
Polyporus (Ino) elongatus B
57
Although Cooke (1892), pp. 111-127 does not use infrageneric names in Polyporus, Berkeley & Broome (1887), p. 219, use the infrageneric name Inodermei for another species.
Richmond River
Marasmius Mülleri

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B
Do
Agaricus (Flam) picreus Fr
Do
58
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right. Flam = Flammula (see Cooke (1892), p. 52).
Agaricus (Galera) tener Fr
Do
59
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right.
Agaricus (Lepiota) Beckleri B
Do
60
In addition to the ✓ at the left of this line, there is also one at the right.
Cladoderris dendritica

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P
Do
Polyporus annosus

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Fr
Do
Hydnum ochraceum

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Fr
61
FNI gives Persoon, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
Geaster fimbriatus

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Fr
Do
Polyporus (Res) obducens Fr
62
In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line. Index fungorum gives Persoon, not Fries, as the author of the name. Although Cooke (1892), pp. 111-127 does not use infrageneric names in Polyporus, Berkeley & Broome (1887), use the infrageneric name Resupinati for another species.
Do
Schizophyllum commune

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Fr
Lockyer Creek Q
63
Qld.
Lentinus fasciatus

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Fr
64
FNI gives Berkeley, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
Geaster fimbriatus

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Fr
Urara River
65
Earlier name of Orara River, NSW.
Polyporus rhipidium

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B
Richmond River
Marasmius calopus

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Fr
Do
Clavaria stricta

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Fr
66
FNI gives Persoon, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Urara River NSW
Stereum lobatum

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Kze
Norfolk Island
67
Then an independent British colony in the Pacific Ocean c.1400 km east of Australia, with the Governor of NSW as Governor; now an external territory of Australia.
Hirneola polytricha

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Do
Polyporus cinnabarinus

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Fr
Do
Mylitta australis

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B
W. Port Phillip
Clavaria botrylis

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P
Wildwood V
68
Near Sunbury, Vic.
Hirneola polytricha

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Severn
69
Probably the Severn River, Northern Tablelands, NSW.
Tremella mesenterica

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Fr
Swan River Sewell
70
FNI gives Retzius, not Fries, as the author of the name. There was more than one Sewell collecting for M in the Swan River region in WA, sometimes designated in the collections as 'Miss Sewell'; see Maroske & Vaughan (2014).
Cladoderris dendritica

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P
Shoalhaven NSW
Polyporus rhipidium

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B
Richmond River
4
Clavaria stricta

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Fr
Apsley River Crawford
71
NSW; Alexander Crawford. FNI gives Persoon, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Clavaria flava

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Fr
72
FNI gives Schaeffer, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Swan River Sewell
Clavaria inaequalis

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Fr
Brogers Creek NSW
73
FNI gives O. F. Müller, not Fries, as the author of the name. Near Shoalhaven, NSW.
Collema (nigrescens?) Lichen
Severn Hartmann
74
Almost certainly Carl Hartmann.
Cyathus fimicola

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B
Wimmera River
75
Vic.
Stemonitis fusca

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R
Mount Lofty SA
602
Polyporus Laestadii

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B
Shoalhaven NSW
Marasmius calopus

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Fr
Richmond River Mrs H
76
Almost certainly Mary Hodgkinson; see Maroske & Vaughan (2014).
Marasmius androsaceus

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Fr
Do
Marasmius Mülleri

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B
Severn Hartmann
Lentinus Lecomtei

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Fr (minor)
Swan River Sewell
Agaricus (Trich) sulphureus Fr
Do
77
FNI gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name. In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line, and an additional at the right; Trich = Tricholoma.
Agaricus (Lepiota) procerus Fr
Do
78
Cooke has added '(unique")' to the left of the line; FNI gives Scopoli, not Fries, as the author of the name. There is an additional ✓ to the right of the line.
Polyporus campyles

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B
Port Phillip
27
Hydnum cirrhatum

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Fr
Gipps Land
79
FNI gives Persoon, not Fries, as the author of the name. In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
37
Aecidium bellidis DC var Brachycomis
Omeo
80
Error for brachycomes? In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
39
Aecidium Prenanthis L. v. microceres
Do
81
Prenanthis over compositarum deleted. In addition to the ✓, there is a pencilled X at the left of the line.
35
Uredo (perhaps new) on plant unknown
Do
82
There is no ✓ to the left of this line.
On Correa speciosa – produced by insects
36
Uredo cichoracearum

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DC
Do
Uromyces microtidis

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Cke
Bulladulah NSW
83
Cooke (1885a), p. 12, uses this spelling; on modern maps as Bulahdelah.
Puccinia malvacearum

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Corda
Aecidium ranunculacearum

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DC
nr Melbourne
84
FNI gives Bertero, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Guntawang
85
The remainder of the entries are on a single foolscap sheet.
2
Uredo lini

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DC
Guntawang
3
Puccinia malvacearum

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[M]
86
Text unclear, but probable 'M', for Montagne.
Do
4
Puccinia hieracii Mart
Do
5
Uredo prenanthis v. microseres
87
Variety name not in Index fungorum (accessed 28 April 2021).
Do
6
Uredo compositarum v Podolepidis
88
Variety name not in Index fungorum (accessed 28 April 2021).
Do
7
Puccinia hieracii Mart on
Crepis

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Do
8
Aecidium plantaginis

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Do
9
Uredo unguillariae

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Cke
89
Error for U. anguillariae? See Cooke (1892), p. 343.
Do
10
Uredo bulbipipes

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Kalch
90
Name not found in Index fungorum (accessed 28 April 2021).
Do
38
Exolete
91
Presumably in the sense of 'rancid' or 'withered', see OED. There is no ✓ to the left of this line.
Omeo
29
Penicillium candidum

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Lk
Walhalla
92
Tisdall's painting of this species is included here as an example of the material supplied to Cooke. (Painting at MEL).
The reverse of the painting has the following text:
By M: Walhalla, Gippsland, Mr Tisdale ( sic ). 1883.
By Tisdall: Mining tunnel
By Cooke: Surface covered with
Penicillium candidum

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Lk
Xylostroma giganteum

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Mt Dromedary
93
There is more than one Mt Dromedary in Australia, one in each of Tas. and Qld, and two in NSW. The specimen is likely to have come from the locality in the south-east of NSW near Tilba Tilba, where Edward Reader is known to have collected for M, see E. Reader to M, 18 March 1880, and B81.02.02.
Ustilago carbo

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Tul
Thistle Island
94
SA?
Morchella conica

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P
Kangaroo Island
95
SA.
Polyporus lucidus

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Fr
Bloomfield River
96
North Qld.
Polyporus elongatus

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B
Do
7
Polyporus oblectans

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B
N Shore Sydney
2
Ozonium aureum

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Sydney Whitelegge
97
Thomas Whitelegge.
21
Polyporus oblectans

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B
Omeo
Schizophyllum commune

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Fr
Torvoomba
98
Toowoomba, Qld?
105
Irpex flavus

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Kl
Clyde River
99
NSW.
Mylitta australis

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B
Port Jackson
100
NSW.
Mylitta australis

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B
Torvoomba
Hexagona Wightii

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B
101
Hexagonia wightii? FNI gives Fries as the author of the name.
Do
22
Lycoperdon caelatum

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Fr
102
FNI gives Bulliard, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Omeo
15
Stereum elegans

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Fr
Do
17
Ag (Lepiota) procerus Fr
103
Agaricus; FNI gives Scopoli, not Fries as the author of the name.
Omeo
19
Ag (Psal) campestris Fr
104
Agaricus (Psalliota) campestris. For infrageneric name, see Cooke (1892), p. 60; FNI gives Linnaeus, not Fries, as the author of the name.
Do
1
Lachnocladium flagelliforme

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B
Double Bay
105
NSW.
88
Polyporus australis

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Fr
Norfolk Island
309
Xylaria gigas

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Cke
Richmond River
Xylaria gigas

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Cke
Bloomfield River
M C Cooke
17 Jan. 1885.