The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: No. 3 ¶ ¶ Pterostylis – This is the plant I got in ¶ King Island ¶ also at ¶ Swan Island ¶ and ¶ Queenscliffe ¶ and seems identical with the one sent to the Baron von Mueller K.C.M.G. by ¶ Mr ...

Document information

Physical location:

MEL 1540864, National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 92.09.00e

Plant names

Pterostylis
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Preferred Citation:

John MacKibbin to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1892-09 [92.09.00e]. 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/1890-6/1892/92-09-00e-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

MS found with a specimen of mackibbinii collected by MacKibbin and named by M in his honour (B92.10.01, p. 93). MS is accompanied by M’s herbarium label: ‘ McKibbinii F.v.M. | Kings Island | McKibbin | 1888’; this date has however been corrected to November 1887 by J. Willis since MacKibbin was a member of the Field Naturalists’ Club excursion to King Island in November 1887 (Victorian Naturalist, vol. 4 [9], p. 129) and several other specimens that he collected then are in MEL, while he is not known to have revisited King Island in 1888. MS dated to September 1892 as the earliest it could have been written to have referred to the specimen sent to M by J. S. Hart (MEL 1540862), collected in September 1892 and noted as 'SYNTYPE of mackibbinii F.Muell.’.

No. 3

– This is the plant I got in King Island

Bass Strait.

also at Swan Island and Queenscliffe

Vic.

and seems identical with the one sent to the Baron von Mueller K.C.M.G. by Mr Hart

Almost certainly MEL 1540862, collected by Hart in September 1892.

– and it will be seen I got both large & small growth (they appear smaller where exposed to the strong rays of sun as Orchids love shade)