The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Chiltern ¶ December 11th ¶ Baron Müller ¶ Dear Sir ¶ ¶ there is a Plant grown in this district cald Sentuary ¶ I take the libertey to ask you if you would Kindly inform me What its medicinal Prope...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M1, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 87.12.11

Preferred Citation:

Alexander Vance to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1887-12-11. 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/1880-9/1887/87-12-11-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS found with a specimen of Centaurium tenuiflorum (MEL 0707779). The specimen sheet also has one of M's herbarium labels in his hand: 'Erythraea australis RBr Chiltern Dec 1887 Al. Vance'.

The year is determined as 1887 from MS annotation by M: 'Answ 14/12/87'. Letter not found. The author is probably Alexander Vance (1827-1889); a much less likely possibility is his son Alexander Robert Vance, born Chiltern 1866.

Chiltern

Vic.

December 11th

Baron Müller

Dear Sir

there is a Plant grown in this district cald Sentuary

All spelling follows the MS. Centuary?

I take the libertey to ask you if you would Kindly inform me What its medicinal Propertys ar or in Outher wordes what is its Constantinutial affect taken as a bitter that you may better under Stand what the Plant is I in close a Portion of it — I Simply want it for my Own use

yours Respectfuly

Alexander Vance

Chiltern

Victoria