Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M46, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 89.11.24

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Woolls, 1889-11-24. 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/1880-9/1889/89-11-24-final.odt>, accessed June 10, 2026

1
MS found with a specimen of Einadia trigonos (MEL 88803).
Burwood
2
NSW.
Nov 24/89
My dear Baron,
On my way from Church to-day, I saw some
Chenopodium triangulare

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growing by the road side, but the flowers are not yet formed. This plant is common everywhere between Sydney & the Mountains, but
Rhagodia hastata

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belongs properly to the Myall country beyond the Range. Brown has it marked as from Port Jackson,
3
R. Brown (1810), p. 408.
but I fancy that he must have had his specimens from the Hunter where it may grow sparingly. It is not found anywhere near Sydney now, & I never saw it growing until I visited the Castleragh
4
Castlereagh River, NSW?
some years ago. There it is " the Salt Bush".
These two plants, though they resemble each other in dried specimens, are perfectly distinct in size, texture & habit. C. triangulare is a small herbaceous plant with thinnish leaves, but R. hastata grows to the height of several feet, more shrubby, & with thicker leaves (generally opposite.)
Some years ago, a friend of mine had a plant of it in his garden in Parramatta. It was a fine spreading shrub. During the week I will visit Parramatta, & if it is still in existence, I will send you some specimens, & get more of the other as the season advances.
Yours very sincerely
W. Woolls
P.S. I see Maiden does not give R. hastata in his book!
5
Maiden (1889), p. 137, in his discussion of 'forage plants', wrote that 'they are all more or less useful, but the two following are perhaps best known'.
He is wrong in saying p. 137 that R. Billardiere
6
R. Billardierei?
& R. parabolica are the best known. R. hastata is the Salt Bush of squatters