Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M1, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 93.00.00a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

John Bufton to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1893 [93.00.00a]. 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/1890-6/1893/93-00-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
Annotated '1893' in an unknown hand; the annotation may not be contemporary with the letter. The date corresponds, however, to the collection date of MEL 2102424, a Bufton specimen from Port Arthur, filed under Leucopogon ericoides — a genus that M felt could not be maintained — and the letter is dated accordingly.
Notes on a specimen of Styphelia from Brown Mountain, Port Arthur,
2
Tas.
compared with
Styphelia collina

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I have made a very careful examination of the specimen which you regard as S. collina and beg to submit result for your kind consideration.
The plant has a sturdy growth being stiff and woody in stem, height about 18 inches; bushy.
Leaf broadly-ovate, scarcely pointed, glabrous and shining above, thick, flat, very distinctly ribbed with 6 or 7 ribs or venules, all the lateral ones divided or bifurcated making 12-14 at margin, which is quite entire; leaves pointing upwards or nearly horizontal never lying up or down the stem.
Flower & fruit . Very small magnifying power does not enable me to speak positively on these; but flowers are comparatively few, densely cottony.
My plant agrees much better with your description of S. costata than with S. collina, and more nearly with Mr Spicer's brief description of S. Hookeri than with S. collina.
I enclose a specimen of S. collina for comparison and trust you will forgive my presumtion in requesting your further examination of the plant under consideration.
I also send specimen of
Lepyrodia

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which occurs only in one place known to me. viz on Tasman Peninsula in white sand among bushes of
Melaleuca squarrosa

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With sincere regards
Yours ever
John Bufton