Document information

Physical location:

90.02.00a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Rosedale Shire Council, 1890-02 [90.02.00a]. 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/1890-6/1890/90-02-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 5, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Gippsland' Leader, 22 February 1890, p. 13 (B90.02.04). It is introduced by
The latest scare is concerning an alleged covering of the country near Warruk [near Sale, Vic.] by the Californian thistle. The fact is that a very curious thistle-like weed has made its appearance in such quantity as to greatly alarm agriculturists, and the Rosedale shire council prudently submitted a sample of it to Baron Von Mueller, who returned the following reply :—.
The sample of the thistle like plant sent by you belongs to the
Kentrophyllum lanatum

Search for Kentrophyllum lanatum in

, a weed common in the countries on the Mediterranean Sea. It is therefore not the so-called Carduus arvensis which is so dreaded as a perennial species, but which is not a native of America, it being indigenous to Europe, West Asia and North Africa. The Kentrophyllum sent by you is an annual plant, it can thus be extirpated by cutting it before it comes into seed, but the cut portions should at once be burned, as otherwise they might still ripen their seeds while on the ground.
2
The item concludes ' Reassuring as this opinion decidedly is in the face of a greater evil, the plant is an ugly and unclean one and should be extirpated remorselessly.'