Ferdinand von Mueller

15/5/86.

In response to your last kind letter, honored Sir, let me first say, that I hope to unite the descriptions of the new Australian plants, published during the last few years, into a systematic arrangement for the 12th vol. of the fragmenta, which work for various reasons came to a stand still.

1

No further parts of the Fragmenta were issued after vol. 12, part 1, published in 1882 (B82.12.03).

Meanwhile these scattered diagnoses are referred to in the supplements of the "Census", which I dedicated to you;

2

M dedicated the Census (B83.03.04) to George Bentham, Joseph Hooker and Alphonse de Candolle.

the 3th (for 1885)

3

B86.06.03.

is soon to appear, as it is in the printers hands The New Guinean plants I collect into the special publication "Papuan plants", of which I send you the 8th part by this mail.

4

B86.03.02.

In reference to the text of the Myoporinae,

5

The plates of this work (B86.06.05) were issued as ‘Volume II: Lithograms’. No Volume 1 containing text was issued.

I would willingly in 1887 furnish diagnoses and descriptions in latin for your "monographiae phanerogamorum", and I could add myself the few extra-australian species, so that the whole would be a perfect monography of the order. In 1888 or later (if God will continue my life mercifully so long) I should write the text for the plate separately in English , so that my contribution to your monographiae would for ever be an original one. Having used the syst. veg. vol. I & II & the prodromus of your illustrious father and yourself since 1840, I should like very much to enjoy the honor yet in life of having contributed to these standard -series of modern phytography by elaborating the Myoporinae, to which not likely any future important additions will be made.

6

The contribution that M proposed for de Candolle’s series was never published.

If I treat the Myoporinae similarly to your elaboration of the Smilacinae

7

A de Candolle (1878)

and your excellent sons Meliaceae,

8

C. de Candolle (1878-96), vol. 1, 399-752.

my whole text in latin would occupy only about 40 pages, so the Myoporinae could perhaps yet be included in the second part of vol. V of your Monographiae after the Amphelideae of our industrious friend Planchon.

9

Planchon (1887).

I can attend to the extra-australian Myoporinae also, having sufficient material for the purpose here; but my illustrations here will be limited to Austral. species.

I am now preparing a series of plates of Acacias, i.e. such species as have hitherto not yet been delineated.

10

Published as B87.13.04.

This will facilitate the recognition of the numerous specific forms in this great genus for all times.

You write with an untrembling hand and with such mental force, that I presume your health remains firm and your eyesight unimpaired.

May you thus long be spared, to guide efforts also in future for our favorite science.

I still think, that finally the genus Stylidium will become Candollea everywhere, as we must have an important genus, to be a worthy monument for your great family name in bot science.