Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS found with a specimen of Drypetes deplanchei (MEL 257294). MS annotation by M: 'Answ. 9/11/85. F.v.M.' Letter not found.

Lismore

Richmond River

2

NSW.

1st Nov /85.

My dear Baron

Owing to my unexpected detention here I have fortunately been able to send more of the water weed you require. I am also sending you a few other specimens, two of them contributed by Mr T. White — Of those sent by me No 1 . is from a tree got here, and of which I have only noticed one individual, about 20 feet high

3

There are two Rudder specimens with the collecting number '1' and '1885' as the collection date at MEL on AVH (accessed 31 December 2019); of these Harpullia alata (MEL 71582) is listed as from the Richmond Valley.

— On No 2 I have seen neither seeds, nor blossoms. This tree is moderately plentiful about here; attains to a diameter of over two feet, and is up to from about 80, to 100 feet in height; it is of rather irregular, angular growth, foliage dense, bark thin and of a dark greenish grey colour frequently marked with little raised roughish dots — If I may judge by some rough tests, to which I have submitted it, I believe this is likely to prove one of our best engraving woods,

4

There is more than one specimen from Rudder with the collecting number '2' at MEL, but the specimen with that number dated November 1885 is the specimen with which the letter was found; see n. 1 above.

See also A. Rudder to M, 14 August 1885, where Rudder suggested that a different species might be suitable for wood engraving, and M to T. Meehan, 22 February 1886.

but of this I hope to be able to speak with more certainty after a fairer and better trial in Sydney — No 3 . is to be found here but it is more plentiful on the McLeay River. I would specially direct your attention to it on account of the intense bitter in the bark, of which I enclose you a small piece. On a future occasion I may be able to send you the blossoms and, probably, the seeds, as well as the leaves; if required

5

Of the nine dated specimens with Rudder's collecting number '3' listed for MEL on AVH, none are dated to 1885; neither of the two undated specimens is from the Richmond River region.

— Kindly, my dear Baron, send me the names, and other particulars, of any, or all of these trees, at your convenience, and oblige

N.B. Please address, as usual, to Long Nose Point, Balmain, Sydney,

P.S. I expect shortly to visit the Upper Bellengen River,

6

Bellingen River, NSW.

on the borders of New England, and will keep you in remembrance for anything that may be of interest