JDH apologises for not writing to George Bentham sooner. Letter concerns the geographical distribution & habits of Leguminosae [Fabaceae] in Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania]. Refers to [Ronald Campbell] Gunn's collections. Discusses Tasmania Acacias: silver wattle, which he identifies as Acacia mollisima [actually A. dealbata] found on Mt Wellington, black wattle A. decurrens, A. verticillata & a sub alpine species from the Derwent falls. Acacia are most abundant genus after Eucalyptus but do not grow high in the mountains, on the plains species incl.: A. stricta & A. myrtifolia growing with Daviesias, Bossiceas, Platylobia, Indigofera australis & various Compositae & Epacrideae which he does not name. Discusses Legumes of New Zealand: Edwardsia [now Sophora], Carmichaelia, new species found by Bidwell & [William] Colenso, & the rare Cilanthus puniceus. Knows nothing about Guilandina bonduc. Legumes are not part of the Antarctic Flora not being found on sub Antarctic islands, though over 300 flowering specimens do occur in those islands. Describes the Kerguelen's Land flora as having commonalities with South America, the Aucklands & Falklands & lists the genera that occur. Lists peculiar Kerguelen's Land plants incl. the Kerguelen Cabbage & notes the profusion of ferns, mosses, lichens & seaweeds. Macrocystis pyrifera is the only true Antarctic plant, found south from 64 degrees latitude in open sea. Compares the botany of the Auckland Group with that of S. America, New Zealand, Antarctica & Tasmania. The relative proportions of Monocotyledons, especially Gramineae [grasses] to Dicotyledons indicates the severity of climate in these regions & in the Prince Edward & Crozets group, the South Georgias, South Shetlands & Antarctic. In the Falklands JDH has found species not described by De Candolle, Durvile or Gaudichard. Notes some of the musci he has collected incl. Guinardia australis, the remarkable profusion of ferns & a new Hydroctyli of the order Umbellifera.
