Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M5, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 93.07.03

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Frederick Bailey to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1893-07-03. 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/1890-6/1893/93-07-03-final.odt>, accessed May 6, 2026

1
MS marked by [J. Willis]: 'Taken from Nymphaea genus folder'. (For a copy of this letter see Bailey's letter press copy book 2, pp. 473-4, Queensland Herbarium, Brisbane.)
Queensland.
Department of Agriculture.
Office of Colonial Botanist,
Brisbane, July 3rd 1893
Dear Baron
Your letter to hand
2
Letter not found; probably the letter 're
Nymphaea Lotus

Search for Nymphaea Lotus in

' recorded by Bailey in his register of incoming mail as having been received on 27 June 1893.
and agreeable to your wish I send a few notes re Nymphaea, the species given in my publications as N. minima,
3
For example, in Bailey (1883), p. 10.
is certainly very near N. pygmaea or tetragona and might be given under either name
4
In Bailey (1899-1905), part 1, p. 39, N. minima is given as a synonym under N. tetragona.
my prepared diagnosis for the supplement
5
Not identified. The last supplement to Bailey (1883) to be issued was the third, i.e. Bailey (1890).
is as follows
Rootstock with more or less brown woolly hairs. Leaves orbicular — oblong 1½ to 3 in. diam., margins entire, slightly peltate, lobes somewhat acute, and slightly divergent the under side often of a purple color; petioles slender. Flowers white or more or less tinged with blue. Sepals 4 much imbricate, 1 in. long, lanceolate, Petals shorter than the sepals and not many more in number. I am expecting fruit and will send descriptions or specimen further on.
I am inclined to side with Bentham,
6
Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, pp. 61-2.
at least as far as the small blue waterlily of the Barron waters, that is closely allied to N. gigantea, and not as stated by me N. caerulea or stellata for it certainly has not the appendages to its anthers ascribed to N. stellata, yours however from north australia which I have not seen may be that species, but you of cause
7
course?
will reexamine your specimens. I would suggest the Barron waters plant being given as a form of N. gigantea and as it is the plant seen by R Brown might it not bear his name thus — N. gigantea var. Brownii — I cannot find where Brown spoke of a nymphaea but if as I surmise he referred to the north Queensland or Barron river plant I should be inclined to change the naming to N. Brownii and drop Hookers to the variety. thus N. Brownii var. gigantea particularly as this latter is so variable in regard to the size of its blooms. But bear in mind that these two plants are too distinct (vegetatively) for the one to be grown the one for the other.
8
I cannot find … for the other. is a marginal annotation. Robert Brown (1773-1858) is not known to have described any Nymphaea (IPNI, acessed 23 February 2022); Bailey is evidently basing his discussion on comments by Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, p. 61, where he cites specimens attributed to Robert Brown (1773-1858), presumably from the collection in the British Museum. Bentham may also have had access to Brown's unpublished description, which was written on 19 December 1802 (R. Brown (2001), p. 327, editors' n. 3).
Plant altogether smaller and more delicate texture, more deeply purple on the underside of the leaf, which latter has less prominent veins. Peduncles slender and densely woolly at the base. Flowers small compared with N. gigantea but with similarly formed anthers.
N. Lotus, var. This lovely white fragrant water lily I have only seen on the still waters off the Barron river and rather fancy it is of local and rare occurrence in our waters probably as you surmise only to be met with near the coast I have for a long time been anxious to see it introduced into our public gardens but cannot obtain roots of either this fine species or my N. minima for that purpose. I have lately received some roots which may prove the white kind from Kamerunga and hope they will grow. I have a little seed of the blue lily which I propose calling v. Brownii the seed is very like but smaller than N. gigantea, Hook .
Seed just arrived of N. pygmaea or tetragona my minima and the variety of N. gigantea so send in this a few of each shall try to raise plants so that the life of each may be studied. Will faithfully assist you so long as Benthams system and style is followed in the supplementary volume, wishing you every success with the work I am yours very truly
F. M. Bailey
P.S. The following is what I intended to use for the analytical table for the Genus Tetracera
Leaves pilose on the under — scabrous on the upperside primary veins close, margins dentate. Sepals 4. T. Nordtiana.
Leaves glossy, scabrous on both sides, margins sharply dentate sepals 4. T. Cowleyana.
Leaves glabrous except the midrib and primary veins. margins usually entire. Sepals 4. T. Wuthiana
Leaves glabrous, primary viens distant margins entire. Sepals 5. T. Daemeliana