[Baron Ferd. von Mueller is anxious to enlist chemists in all parts of Australia,
and especially those in the less known districts, in the great work of completing
the history of the Australian flora. Much as has been done in the past — and everyone
will acknowledge the large share Baron von Mueller has had in the undertaking — there
still remains work which can be done better by residents in a locality than by travelling
collectors. At the present time, after the favourable season we have experienced,
there are probably many species of minute annuals in fruit and seeding which have
not been seen for years, and may disappear again till another good season gives them
a chance of flowering and fruiting. It is impossible for travellers to be in all places
at the best opportunities; but residents, who have given a little attention to the
subject, could gather a rare harvest.
What chemists, or their assistants or apprentices, can do, is to make a collection
of all plants, large or minute, occurring in their district or at any place within
reach. The specimens should have branch, leaf, and flower always; wherever possible,
fruit or seed-vessel must be included, and it is advisable where there is a long interval
between flowering and the ripening of fruit, to secure a second specimen later in
the season. In the case of all small plants the roots should be shown as well. These
specimens should at once be numbered, and it would be as well to adopt a system of
labelling, something like the following : —
Name…………………………………………
Natural Order………………………..
Locality ……………………………...
Date…………………………………..
No…………
The collector should fill up the space left for locality and date. The numbers should
be consecutive. The plants should then be dried between sheets of paper. The specimens
of each plant should be in duplicate, and should be kept quite distinct; they had
better be placed loosely in a folded sheet of paper.
If the collector will then send to Baron von Mueller, Botanical Museum, Melbourne,
one of the duplicate sets, he will be furnished by post with a numbered list of the
names of the plants. It is a very great advantage to a young botanist to get his specimens
authoritatively named in this way, at the small cost of preparing a duplicate numbered
set.
In addition to the naming of the specimens Baron Mueller makes it a rule to record
the name of the discoverer whenever a plant is sent to him from a new locality. Moreover,
there is always a possibility that the collector may discover species new to science.
When this is the case the specific name is frequently made to record the name of discoverer.
Among plants recently described we find
(named after Miss Julia Sewell),
(in honour of Mr. W. Persieh),
and the list could easily be greatly extended.
Further, although Baron von Mueller cannot undertake to return collections sent to
him he will generally be able to send in exchange for them seeds of interesting plants
or other small acknowledgment.]
