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86.12.00e

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to David Martin, 1886-12 [86.12.00e]. 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/1880-9/1886/86-12-00e-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Rural topics and events', Australasian, 25 December 1886, p. 1209 (B86.12.04). It is introduced by 'A difference of opinion having been expressed as to the classification of the thistles growing in the Camperdown district, Mr. D. E. Martin, the secretary of the department of Agriculture, was asked to obtain the opinion of Baron von Mueller on the subject. The baron gives his views as follows as follows:—'.
The perennial thistle immigrated into the Bungaree district,
2
Vic.
namely,
Carduus arvensis

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, differs from the annual or occasionally biennial thistle lately sprung up in the Camperdown district, namely,
Carduus pycnocephalus

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,
3
Vic. See M to P. Lang, 6 December 1886.
in the following characteristics, irrespective of the differences of the roots:— The flower heads are not uniformly slender, but occur of two sorts on distinct plants, slender heads which produce the seeds, and sterile more roundish heads; further, the flower-heads are not very spiny, the leaves are not so deturrent
4
Printer’s error for decurrent?
along the branches, and the tender hair on the summit of the seeds (or rather fruits) are plumous, not as in C. pycnocephalus, mere simple threads. Other differences exist, but those mentioned would be most easily obvious to ordinary observers. Both these thistles have smaller and usually more crowded flower-heads than those of our most common thistle here, namely,
Carduus lanceolatus

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.