Document information

Physical location:

GRG 19/391, State Records of South Australia, Adelaide. 90.05.16

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Maurice Holtze, 1890-05-16. 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/90-05-16>, accessed May 20, 2024

1
The source is a series of un-numbered pages of plant identifications, concluding with a dated letter commencing below a list of numbers. The specimens being treated are those numbered from 986-1100, announced in M. Holtze to M, 24 April 1890. Numbers 986, 987, 992, 1000, 1033, 1041, 1048-9, 1075, 1082, 1087, 1091-3 and 1100 are not now in MEL. Numbers 1053, 1061-2, and 1095-96 are not listed in any known communication from M to Holtze and are not in MEL. Some of the numbers in this series had been previously used. Specimens now in MEL numbered 998, collected in 1889, and 999, collected in 1886, are different species than the ones in this sequence, and 1054, collected 1889, is the same species as that dated 1890 included under that number in the shipment. The specimens in this series still at MEL are all dated 1890 (AVH, accessed 2 June 2022).
There are some pages where the record numbers dealt with are not sequential, with some considerably out of sequence. This is not inconsistent with M's comment below that 'While unpacking the plant specimens I have immediately written down for you the generic name of most of them and frequently also the species name'. It is possible that the unpacking did not follow the sequence of numbers. The sequence given here is the best fit deduced from mapping the numbers given on each page. The position of page breaks is given in the notes. What is transcribed as the last two pages could be inserted after record number 1030, but the tone of the comments in the narrative text suggests that the box had been fully unpacked before the text was written.
M returned to some of the species a second time at a later date and dealt with others in a separate letter; these cases are indicated in the notes.
Translations of comments made are included in square brackets within the transcription.
986,
Parsonsia

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987,
Neptunia gracilis

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, Bentham
988,
Helminthostachys dulcis

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Kaulfuss.
Neu für N. O. Australien.
[New for North-East Australia.]
2
M presumably intended North-West Australia, given that Holtze was based in Darwin.
989,
Premna

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990,
Grewia

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991,
Urena lobata

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, Linné
992,
Bidens bipinnata

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, Linné
994,
Modecca australis

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, R Br
998
Chlorophytum laxum

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1000,
Zornia diphylla

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, Persoon
oder eine verwandte Art, was die Frucht erweisen muss
[or a related species, which must be proven by the fruit]
999
Thysanotus tuberosus

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R Br
Ich hätte gern ein Ex. mit reifem Samen aus Ihrer Gegend.
[I would like to have a specimen with ripe seed from your vicinity.]
993.
Wedelia

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für Australien neu. Name später
[New for Australia. Name later.]
997.
Drosera Banksii

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, R.Br.
Diese Pflanze sehe ich jetzt zum ersten mal. Sie ist nur bisher aus Sir Jos. Banks Sammlung bekannt, u einzig vom Endeavour River.
3
Qld.
Reife Frucht ist auch nicht in seiniger Sammlung; ist die Wurzel tiefer unten etwa knollig? Ein guter Vorrath für Austausch Zwecke wäre von dieser Seltenheit recht erwünscht!
[I am seeing this plant here for the first time. Until now it has been known only from Sir Joseph Banks' collection, and only from the Endeavour River. There is no ripe fruit in his collection either; does the root by any chance have tubers lower down? A good supply of this rarity would be very desirable for exchange purposes!]
996
Wohl nur Zwerg-Form von D. Indica. Sollte die frische Blume verschieden aussehen und auch die Samen verschieden sein, dann bitte ich ein Ex. in Alcohol.
[Probably only a dwarf form of
Drosera indica

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. But if the fresh flowers should look different and the seed are also different, I ask for a specimen in alcohol.]
802 .
4
Last entry on page.
Die neue
Verbenacea

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werde ich genau untersuchen.
[I shall examine the new
Verbenacea

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in detail.]
5
Record number 802 is dated to 1889. In M to M. Holtze, 1889 (in this edition as 89-00-00p), M tentatively identified it as
Verbenacea

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e and asked for further specimens. In M to M. Holtze, June 1890 (in this edition as 90-06-00a), it and 995 are identified as Clerodendrum holtzei, but published as Clerodendron holtzei in B91.05.07, p. 75.
1001,
Desmo dium
1002,
Desmodium

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1003,
Distichostemon phyllopterus

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F.v.M
1005,
Grewia

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1006,
Cartonema

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1007,
Loranthus pendulus

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, Sieber
1009,
Hypoxis hygrometrica

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Labillardière
New for N. W. Austr
1008
Crotalaria linifolia

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L. filius
1004
Cassia venusta

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, Fv.M
1011
Polycarpaea

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1012
Bridelia tomentosa

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Blume
1013
Breweria

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1014
Corchorus

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1015
6
Last entry on page.
Achyranthes aspera

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L
1016
Heliotropium

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1017,
7
1017 is marked with a cross. The same number is identified as
Hibiscus pentaphyllus

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on another page. There is only one instance of 1017 in MEL, listed as
Hibiscus pentaphyllus

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.
Heliotropium

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1018,
Curculigo ensifolia

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, R Br
1019,
Wrightia saligna

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F.v.M.
1020
8
Number 1021 is not dealt with in any known list sent by M to Holtze.
Tribulus

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1048
Neu , wenigstens für Australien.
[New , at least for Australia.]
1049
Marsdenia

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Ist die Frucht immer fast weiss, wenn frisch, oder ist sie bloss verbleicht-weiss?
[Is the fruit always almost white when fresh, or is it only bleached white?]
1050
Gymnanthera nitida

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, R Brown
1051
9
Last entry on page.
Cynanchum

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10
M to M. Holtze, 2 August 1890, reported that the herbarium specimens of 1050, 1051, 1052 and 1055 were missing.
1074,
Methorium

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1075,
Sideroxylon

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1076,
Alyxia spicata

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, R Brown
1077,
Ipomoea grandiflora

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Lamarck
1078,
Ipomoea
1017,
11
1017 is marked with a cross. This item is identified as
Heliotropium

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above (see n. 7).
Hibiscus pentaphyllus

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FvM
1022,
Utricularia

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12
Nos 1022 to 1030 are bracketed together with this paragraph written side-on in the space beside them, as applying to all of them.
Diese sind besonders wichtig, zumal da Sie das Colorit notirt haben. Würde es möglich sein, von einigen auch reife Frucht-Exemplare zu erhalten, wodurch die Charactere noch besser festgestellt werden könnten.
[These are particularly important, especially as you noted the colour. Would it be possible to obtain ripe fruiting specimens as well of some of them, as this would facilitate the determination of the characters even better.]
1023,
Utricularia

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1024,
13
Nos 1024, 1025, 1026 and 1029 are also listed in M to M. Holtze, July 1890 (in this edition as 90-07-00e).
Utricularia

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1025,
Utricularia

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1026,
Utricularia

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1027,
Utricularia

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1028,
Utricularia

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1029,
Utricularia

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14
The specimen numbered 1029 in MEL is dated to July 1890, suggesting that a duplicate was sent and is the one retained; see notes to M to M. Holtze, July 1890 (in this edition as 90-07-00e).
1030,
15
Last entry on page.
Utricularia

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16
For
Utricularia

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, including numbers 1027 and 1028, see M to N. Holtze, 12 February 1893 (in this edition as 93-02-12a).
1064,
Tylophora

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1065,
Nymphaea tetragona

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Georgi.
Bisher kannten wir diese Art innerhalb der Tropen nur aus hohen Gebirgswässern. Ihre Art mit gezähnten Blättern ist N. gigantea; die andere N. stellata. Sie werden finden, dass auch die reifen Samen von allen dreien verschieden sind. Die rothen Varietäten sind bisher sehr wenig in Cultur
[Until now we knew this species only from high altitude mountain waters within the tropics. Your species with dentate leaves is N. gigantea , the other one N. stellata . You will find that the ripe seeds of all three differ from each other as well. So far the red varieties are found very rarely in culture]
1066,
N. gigantea, Hooker,
wahrscheinlich auch 1067.
[probably also 1067.]
1068,
Rhynchosia minima

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, DC
1069,
Securinega leucopyrus

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J.M.
17
Jean Müller (= Muell. Arg.).
1071,
Lindsaya ensifolia

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, Swartz
1072,
Sideroxylon

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1073,
18
Last entry on the page.
Cassia Absus

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, Linné.
1031,
Spermacoce

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1032,
Spermacoce

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1033,
Cheilanthes

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1034,
Polygala
19
The species is identified as P. stenoclada in M to M. Holtze, June 1890 (in this edition as 90-06-00a).
1035,
Xerotes

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20
M to M. Holtze, 13 June 1890, notes that this collecting number refers to two different plants.
1036,
Typhonium

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1037,
Pavetta

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1038,
Triglochin dubium

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, Rbr
Knollen essbar
[Tubers edible]
1039,
Ipomoea
Frucht erwünscht.
[Fruit wanted.]
1040,
Alysicarpus

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1042,
Tricoryne elatior

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R Br
Dünne Form, soweit ich ermitteln kann, ohne Frucht von dort zu haben. Neu für N.W. Australien Sind die Blumen gelb?
[Slender form, as far as I can determine without having fruit from there. New for N. W. Australia. Are the flowers yellow?]
1044,
Phyllanthus

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Frucht erwünscht
[Fruit wanted]
1045,
Gomphrena

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1046,
21
Last entry on page.
Ptilotus

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1047
Aneilema

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?
Neu für Australien, aber vielleicht indisch. Werde die Pflanze bald genau untersuchen.
[New for Australia, but perhaps Indian. I shall critically examine the plant soon.]
1100,
Caelospermum

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1099,
Knoxia

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1098,
Hibiscus
Neu, wenigstens für Australien.
[New, at least for Australia.]
22
In M to M. Holtze, 28 July 1890, this is re-determined as a Sida, described as S. holtzei in B91.05.07, p. 78, read before the Royal Society of NSW on 2 July 1890.
1094,
Vigna vexillata

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, Bentham
1093,
Stackhousia viminea

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, Smith
auch 1092
[also 1092]
1091,
Phyllanthus

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1090,
Polygala leptalea

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D.C.
1089,
Mitrasacme
1088,
Mitrasacme
1087,
Mitrasacme connata

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, R Br
1086,
23
Last entry on the page.
Oldenlandia galioides

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, FvM
1085,
Mitrasacme
1084,
Mitrasacme longiflora

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, F.v.M.
1088,
Mitrasacme
1082,
Guettarda speciosa

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, L.
1081,
Calycothrix laricina

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, R Br
1080,
Portulaca

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1079,
Aeschynomene

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.
16/5/90.
Es ist immer für mich ein Freudentag, lieber Herr Holtze, wenn eine Sammlung von Ihnen ankommt, u dies mal ist die Zusendung besonders wichtig nicht nur in Seltenheiten sondern auch in Neuheiten. Dann sind auch die Exemplare sehr schön und meistens vollständig; u. ferner haben Sie ja auch eine reichliche
24
End of page.
Menge von Samen gesandt, welche für rurale Zwecke besonders zu Statten kommen.
Ich habe beim Herausnehmen der Pflanzen Exemplare gleich von den meisten den Genus-Namen für Sie niedergeschrieben u oft auch den Species-Namen. Bald soll Auskunft über das Zurückgelegte folgen. Es ist prächtig, dass Sie einen jungen Sohn haben, der flink und scharfsehend das Sammeln mit übernehmen kann. Ich werde seine Hülfe in meinen Werken besonders anerkennen. Ganz besonders dankbar bin ich für die so sorgfältig in Alcohol geschickten geschickten
25
Word repeated.
Materialien. Doch habe ich noch keins der Fläschchen geöffnet.
Sie ehrend und Ihnen alles Gute wünschend
Ferd. von Mueller
Bei
Eulophia

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ist besonders die Anheftung der Pollen Massen zu besichtigen.
26
Sentence is a marginal addition on the first page with narrative text.
Wenn Sie die dortigen Bambuse in Ihren Garten versetzen u reich düngen , z. B. mit menschlichen Excrementen, so würden Sie die Pflanzen zur Blüthen Entwicklung bringen.
27
Sentence is a marginal addition on the second page with narrative text.
16/5/90.
It is always a red-letter day for me, dear Mr Holtze, when a collection arrives from you. And this time the consignment is particularly important not only in rarities, but also in novelties. In addition the specimens are very beautiful and mostly complete. Furthermore you have sent a generous quantity of seed, which comes in especially handy for rural purposes.
While unpacking the plant specimens I have immediately written down for you the generic name of most of them and frequently also the species name. Information on those I laid aside will follow soon. It is splendid, that you have a young son,
28
Nicholas Holtze.
who is quick and has a sharp eye and can take over part of the collecting. I shall acknowledge his help especially in my publications. I am particularly grateful for the material so carefully sent in alcohol; however, I have not yet opened any of the little bottles.
Rendering you my respects and wishing you all the best
Ferd. von Mueller.
In
Eulophia

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the attachment of the pollen masses in particular needs to be examined.
29
In M to M. Holtze, 12 June 1889, M had requested additional specimens of another
Eulophia

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, preserved in alcohol to allow the attachment to be better determined.
If you were to transplant your bamboo species from there into your garden and manure them heavily , for example with human excrements, you would get the plants to develop flowers .