Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see ‘The “Guildford” Grass’, Journal of the Bureau of Agriculture (Perth, WA), vol. 1, no. 15, 16 October 1894, p. 195 (B94.10.01). The text is introduced: ‘In answer to a letter from the Secretary of the Bureau of Agriculture, Baron F. von Mueller writes under date of the 1st. inst.: —‘. The Secretary was Lancelot Lindley-Cowan.

In reply to your letter of 15th September,

2

Letter not found.

I have the honor to inform you that the plant transmitted by you is neither a grass nor could it have been imported from Singapore. It is the South African romulea rosea (known also under the name trichonema roseum), and belongs to the order

Trideae

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.

3

Typesetter's misreading of Irideae?

The plant became undoubtedly imported through its bulbs in embollage of goods from Capetown or some other port of South Africa. The excessive fibrous toughness of its leaves renders these very indigestible, causing the stringy glomerations in the digestive parts of pasture animals as described by you. As this romulea, through its bulb is a perennial plant, it is not easy to subdue it. Places where it abounds should be broken up and at the same time be sown with seeds of such native plants as are locally most liked by herds and flocks. Furthermore, seeds of such extra-Australian perennial grasses and fodder herbs should be sown as have proved to vegetate readily in the particular districts overrun with the romulea. By these means the plants will be to some extent suffocated. When it can be done, the romulea should be pulled up in the wet season when it is easily lifted, but the plants should at once be heaped together and burnt, otherwise new plants might still be started from broods of the bulbs. If burning of the seed-bearing portion of the plants cn be effected at the dry season, it will, of course, diminish the multiplication. I take this opportunity to warn you against an allied and larger and highly poisonous plant also immigrated from South Africa, where it is called the native tulip, into some few places in Australia. It is the

Homeria

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, has orange-colored showy flowers, multiplies quickly and enormously by brood of its bulbs, forming bulbils also on the stem. It should be at once destroyed whereever it makes it appearance.