Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here was included in a lengthy obituary of M published in Chemist and druggist of Australasia, vol. 11, pp. 267-70, on p. 270 (B96.11.02).

11 September 1895

My work has been for several years much more even than formerly in the rural interests for the benefit of the bread-winning portion of the population. But I could not make free so much time as formerly for strictly phytographic work. I would like that the description of this new plant should appear in the September number.

2

M's description of Trianthema cussackiana, from the Harding River, north-western WA, duly appeared in B95.10.01. A description of Statice macphersoni, from the vicinity of Coolgardie, was added at the last minute; see M to W. Piper, 17 September 1895.

May I ask you to write a short introductory note to the present article, in which you set forth that, as so many young pharmacists are gradually settling in new places of the interior, they should endeavour — true to the objects of their profession — to aid in the elucidation of the vegetation surrounding them, by bringing material in the form of pressed and dried specimens of plants, among which there would likely still be novelties, particularly among the minute land plants, and various water weeds. At all events, in each district new medicinal plants could be found. You will see from the present article that each finder of rare or new plants will get credit for his discoveries.

3

The following note appeared with the plant descriptions:

Botanical Discoveries. — On this page we print descriptions of two interesting plants new to science, and recently described by Baron F. Von Mueller. One of them, it will be noted, is from the neighbourhood of Coolgardie, and both are illustrations of the assistance that can be given by residents in any little-explored country, to the progress of science. Baron Von Mueller especially asks us to say that as so many young pharmacists are gradually settling in new places of the interior, they should endeavour, true to the objects of their profession, to aid in the elucidation of the vegetation surrounding them. They can do this by sending to the Baron material in the form of pressed and dried specimens of plants, among which there would probably still be novelties, particularly among minute land plants, and various water weeds. Each finder of rare or new plants gets credit for his discoveries in Baron Von Mueller’s publications. We have repeatedly urged chemists to take up work of this kind, as it adds very much to the pleasure of their lives, besides giving them opportunities of being really useful to the world.