Document information

Physical location:

University of Florence, Science Library: Botany, Archives, Beccari 12/32. 90.03.13

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Odoardo Beccari, 1890-03-13. 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/1890-6/1890/90-03-13-final.odt>, accessed June 15, 2026

90/3/13
By this mail, dear Dr Beccari, I have posted to you the only specimen of an only palm, received from Sir William Macgregor among the dried plants, gathered by his Excellency on his tour up the Fly-River
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Beccari (1908), p. 494, gives the habitat of Calamus macgregorii as 'British New Guinea, where discovered on the Fly River in 1890 by Sir William Macgregor' [i.e., MacGregor]. The monograph was intended for Malesia, but the subsidy towards the publication of this was withdrawn by the Istituto di Studi Superiori of Florence (Beccari (1908), p. i). There is a specimen of this species in Florence (Fl 014296) labelled in M's hand 'Calamus | Fly-River | 1890 Sir W. Macgregor' on a 'Phytologic Museum of Melbourne' label. However, Florence also has a specimen of Rhopaloblaste macgregorii (Fl 014015), also with a 'Phytologic Museum of Melbourne' label in M's hand 'Fly -River | 1890 Sir W. Macgregor'. A second sheet of this latter species (Fl 014014) has the same collecting details in another hand. R. macgregorii is listed by Martelli (1935), p. 81, as 'MS in Herb. Palm. Nova Guinea'. It is thus not possible to determine from the specimens which was sent with this letter.
Will you be so kind, to send a few fragments back for the Government Herbarium here, after you have examined the species
Three iron cylinders, filled with methylized alcohol, and sent for collecting purposes by me, will be this week emptied of the botanic specimens, contained therein. Should palms be among them they will be also sent to you
You will have received my essay on Governor Macgregors alpine or high lands plants some months ago.
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B89.13.11.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller