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86.12.06

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Patrick Lang, 1886-12-06. 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/1880-9/1886/86-12-06-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The Californian thistle', Camperdown chronicle, 11 December 1886, p. 3 (B86.12.03). At a meeting of the Hampden Shire Council on 1 December 1886, a discussion was held about the presence of the Californian Thistle in the district. ‘Cr. Lang affirmed that he had been very careful in the enquiries he had made with regard to the Canadian thistle before making the matter public, knowing what a serious matter it was to landowners generally.’ He had sent a specimen to a number of gentlemen (including the Editor of the Australasian and the Secretary of the Ballarat Agricultural Society), and all had declared it to be the Canadian thistle. ‘After the statement from the secretary he would certainly send a specimen of the thistle to Baron Von Mueller, and have his opinion as a skilled botanist.’ … ‘Cr. Lang said he would take care to obtain Baron Von Mueller’s opinion regarding the thistle’ (Camperdown chronicle, 4 December 1886, p. 2). On receiving M’s reply, Lang wrote to the editor of the Camperdown chronicle: ‘Baron Von Mueller, the Government Botanist, declares that our thistle is not the Carduus Arvensus. I enclose a copy of his letter, from which it will be seen that it was from the same source that the Secretary of Agriculture derived the information which he recently communicated to the shire secretary on the subject. Let us be thankful that we have, apparently, as yet, in this shire, escaped an invasion from the dreaded perennial. The scare we have had may be attended with good results, and let us note that the thistle with the long name, already so plentiful, is one against which it is declared, on the Baron’s authority, “measures should be taken.” The great difficulty with it will be its early seeding. It blooms in September and October, when every-one is engaged in the wool harvest. … I think you will agree with me that I am entitled to call upon the editor of the “Australasian” to explain how he gave the reply which he did when I consulted him about it.’
Melbourne, 6th December, 1886.
P. S. Lang, Esq.,
Councillor of the Shire of Hampden
Sir,—
In reply to your letter of the 3rd inst.,
2
Letter not found. M's letter was presented to the Council at its meeting of 12 January 1887; see Camperdown chronicle, 15 January 1887, p. 2.
I have the honor to inform you that the thistle of which you sent a specimen is the
Carduus Pycnocephalus

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, also known as C. Tenuiflorus, as stated by the Department of Agriculture, to whom the name and the advice how to subdue this weed was in the first instance supplied by myself. The so-called Canadian or Californian thistle, (which, however, is not a native of America,)
Carduus Arvensis

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, is perennial, while the C. Pycnocephalus, as pointed out already, is only once flowering and fruiting from the same root; so that as regards this species we have to cope only with the spreading of the seeds, not with the root also. The invasion of this additional thistle should be checked in the same manner as adopted against the widely distributed
Carduus Lanceolatus

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; for although in European rural grounds not so much dreaded as some other thistles, particularly C. Arvensis, this weed is bad enough to engage measures against it.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) Fer. Von Mueller.
3
See also M to D. Martin, December 1886 (in this edition as 86-12-00e).