Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from the letterpress accompanying the plate of

Eucalyptus lansdowneana

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in J. E. Brown (1883-90) (B90.02.08). The plate was in Part IX, reviewed in South Australian register , 26 February 1890, p. 4. M's letter is dated 25 November 1889, based on his annotation to J. Brown to M, 19 November 1889.

M's text is introduced by:

It is with much pleasure we here record that it is to Baron Sir Ferd. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., the eminent Government Botanist of Victoria, the honour is due of determining the tree as a new species and we cannot do better than give his description of it in his own words, as follows:—

(The grammatical errors are in the source text.)

[

Eucalyptus lansdowneana

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] belongs to the section Heterostemones of Bentham,

2

See Bentham (1863-78), vol. 3, pp. 189-200, for his systematic arrangement of the Eucalypts into 'series'.

and differs chiefly from E. paniculata in leaves, equally green, and with copious stomata on both sides, the venules spreading at a more acute angle, thicker peduncles and pedicels, blunter and double operculum, crimson filaments, whitish anthers, with broad anterior (not terminal) and also rather deep openings, undilated stigma, shorter style, and probably also in characteristics of the ripe fruits and their seeds. The bark is also probably different, and so the wood. Indeed this new Eucalypt is in many respects nearer to E. largiflorens, among the Isostemones, although the branchlets are firmer, the umbel-stalks thicker, the flowers considerably larger, downward, more attenuated, and also more angular. Here, again, ripe fruits, bark, and wood need further comparison. In several characteristics this species comes near to Euc. hemiphloia, but the leaves are more shining, and probably never grey, their oil-glandules more transparent, the lid double and blunt, the outer stamens largely sterile; and here again notes on ripe fruits, bark and wood may sustain the diagnosis.

Imperfect specimens of this species were collected in 1847 near Encounter Bay

3

SA.

by Ch. Stuart; others in 1851 near Port Lincoln

4

SA.

by C. Wilhelmi. Later, some specimens were received through C. Moore from the western districts of New South Wales, but all the specimens were without ripe fruits. In all these cases the tree was of Shrubby growth.

5

Brown noted that the formal botanical description that followed 'has been specially prepared by Sir Ferd. von Mueller'.