Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M74, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 89.10.21a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Fred Turner to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1889-10-21 [89.10.21a]. 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/1880-9/1889/89-10-21a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

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MS annotation by M: 'Answ 23/10/89 FvM'; letter not found.
Hyde Park.
Sydney.
21st October 1889
Baron F. Von. Mueller. Ph D. & M.D.
I have been fortunate enough to obtain more specimens of the grass, which I forwarded you a small specimen a short time ago. I then thought it was an abnormal growth of Sporobolus indicus . This grass grows on the red clay soils near Wilcannia, on the Darling River in this colony.
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i.e. NSW.
If it should prove to be a new species, you very generously offered to name it after me; but I would beg to suggest that you name it after Mrs Kennedy who found it, as I think it is only right that the collector should have any honor attached to it.
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In a brief description Turner published the name Eragrostis Kennedyii, with himself and M as the authorities, in F. Turner (1890), pp. 18-19. A further, longer description, very close to the diagnosis given in this letter, is in F. Turner (1894), with the name Eragrostis Kennedyae, under his sole authority. The MS of this letter is accompanied by one of M's herbarium labels: 'Eragrostis kennedyana F. Turner Darling-River 1889 Mrs Kennedy'.
Although you are well aware that I found three new species of plants in Queensland, when sent to report on some timbers by the Government, and never got the credit of any of them, they were, Syncarpia Hillii , Macrozamia Douglasii , and Tecoma Hillii ,
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The first two species were named by F. M. Bailey and Tecoma hillii by M in B77.02.03, p. 101, from a specimen collected by Walter Hill.
I should very much liked
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Turner originally wrote have liked then deleted have.
to have had my name attached to the latter, as I risked my life in getting to it for it grew in such an almost inaccessible place.
Under seperate cover I forward you some specimens of this grass from the Darling River. You will pardon me in giving you my diagnosis of this grass. —
A slender tufted perennial grass of about 18 inches, glabrous except a few cilia at the orifice of the sheaths. Leaves about 3 inches long, tapering to fine points, and continued to, but not exceeding the inflorescence, Panicle narrow 3 or 4 inches long, with short erect scatered branches. The rachis of the spikelets scabrous, Spikelets with two fertile flowers and sometimes a terminal empty one, pedicellate and about ½ a line long. Glumes awnless, 2 outer empty ones nearly equal, oblong, hyaline, with a prominent dorsal scabrid ne[rv]a. Flowering glumes very obtuse, small and hyaline. Grain ovoid, enclosed in the palea, but free from it.
The large collection of seeds which you kindly presented to Hyde Park arrived in good order, for which please accept my sincere thanks. The seeds will prove a very valuable addition to those already on on
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Word duplicated in going from one page to the next.
the park, and I shall have much pleasure in reporting your donation at our Board meeting tomorrow. I have joined the Australasian Association for the advancement of Science, and have promised Professor Liversidge an essay on the Fodder Plants and Grasses of New South Wales which I hope to have the pleasure of reading in Melbourne.
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F. Turner (1890a), read before the Economic and Social Science and Statistics section of the Melbourne meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, January 1890.
Did ever you know of the fruiting perianth of Kochia oppositifolia, F.M. being bordered by four (4) membranous veined wings, not connate though expanded into a circle. I know the usual number are three (3), but we had a specimen recently with four.
I am
Baron Von Mueller
yours obediently
Fred Turner.