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Bibliothèque des Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques, Geneva. 87.11.18a

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Ferdinand von Mueller to Alphonse de Candolle, 1887-11-18 [87.11.18a]. 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/1880-9/1887/87-11-18a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

18/11/87.
It is my pleasing duty, honored and venerable Sir, to acknowledge the receipt of the volume of your great series of monographies, containing the
Ampelideae

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; and I beg to thank you for your new act of kindness thus evinced in sending an impression.
1
Planchon (1887); TL2 gives the date of publication as October 1887; if accurate, M must have been sent a prepublication copy, for him to be able to acknowledge receipt in this letter.
My only regret is, that I had not already the privilege of adding the
Myoporinae

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, but I was forced here by ministerial order to bring out early the dichotomous part of the "Key to the system of Victorian plants",
2
B88.11.02.
which very difficult task will — deo volente
3
God willing.
— be fully accomplished by the end of 1887, as a large portion of the volume is printed now. In this work I have used no Organographic expressions, which occur in human anatomy and there-with in zoology also; thus the fibro-vascular tractus in leaves is called venules throughout, as the venae portae, cavae, azygos &c are quite as large proportionately to other veins as the midrib of leaves, which I call carinular venule. Ovarium has become overlarium, placenta (from your illustrious fathers pleading already) placentarium, albumen = albumentum (a good classic word) vegetable hair, which contain no nitrogene, = hairlet, head = headlets (in accordance with all other languages except the english); furthermore from all such terms as rostrum, unguis, faux, labia &c I have freed my new work.
4
See M to the Editor, Australian medical journal, 15 November 1887, p. 523 (B87.11.03) (in this edition as 87-11-00e).
Here , where I had to commence for a new country de novo , these changes could be better made as in Europe, where they became sanctioned by tradition and time. Anyhow these alterations would have been made in the progress of science, as doubtless different organs in the living world should not for ever pass under the same name. I am entirely in accord with M. Planchon's view of the affinity of
Viniferae

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, and at page 13 of the "Key", printed some months ago, placed them also near
Rhamnaceae

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&
Araliaceae

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, well aware, that Eichler had already transferred the genus
Leea

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to
Meliaceae

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. Some other changes I have made from the arrangement, adopted in the Census, — exempli causa: the
Thymeleae

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are placed next to the
Rosaceae

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, to which they have undoubtedly the greatest affinity.
I feel sure, that in 1888, — if divine will allows me to live so long —, I shall be able, to elaborate the
Myoporinae

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, though we are very busy here with the forthcoming grand Exhibition !
5
Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1888-9.
It will require the connected re-examination of more than 1000 specimens of Myoporinous plants, to give a full account of the order now, and likely I shall within a few months have more additions to the material from Central and from West Australia. Will M. Casimir D.C. kindly review the volume on utilitarian plants by Naudin & myself?
6
B87.14.06.
The "Key" brings for the first time, except Mr Spicer's little book (sans ordre) the Lamarkian method into English use, which will interest particularly the son and grandson of the collaborator of Lamark
7
i.e. of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.
Always regardfully
your
Ferd. von Mueller
A copy of the Key will be sent to you, so soon as it appears