Victoria Range,1 21st November, 1853
Encamped here, on a new botanical journey through this province, I observed for the second time within the last five years, a pretty little Stylidium, which most unfortunately, from badly developed and preserved specimens, was mistaken by me for a Polypompholyx, (rather a gross error considering the germen inferum), and passed accordingly into my diagnoses, which I have the pleasure of forwarding to you by His Excellency Governor Latrobe,2 as P. adenotricha.3 Having, whilst travelling, on account of the burden, left all my books behind except R Brown’s Prodromus,4 I am uncertain if my plant is the Coleostylis umbellata of Sonder. It approaches rather closely to Stylidium umbellata of Labillardière, but will prove, most likely, a distinct species.
I left Melbourne a fortnight ago, and shall twice traverse the northern districts of this province during the coming five months.
I have met, to my great delight, with all of Sir Thomas Mitchell’s rarities of the Grampians, beside some which, during Sir Thomas’s visit to this locality (June), were not in flower; so that I hope to be enabled to add amply to your great herbarium. Myosurus australis I found here again — the second locality which I know of this most interesting plant; Marianthes5 bignoniaceus and Eriostemon Hillebrandi occur also in the Grampians, as well as a beautiful subalpine Bauera, several Melaleucæ, Mitrasacme, Stylidium, Stenanthera, Styphelia, etc.. Most of them are new to me, and many, I presume, also new to science.
In my letters, left with His Excellency, I have stated, that my collections under the hands of Dr. Sonder contain more than a thousand species of Van Diemen’s Land plants. The very desired work of your celebrated son, ‘Flora Tasmanica’, could, I am inclined to believe, receive ample additions from these sources; for I am convinced that Mr Gunn did not find all the species which Mr Charles Stuart procured for me. Of these, as well as any other Australian plants of my collection, I shall be but too happy to offer Dr. Joseph Hooker any specimens which he may consider useful to his pursuits; and I would take the liberty to advise Dr. Hooker to spend a week or two on a visit to Hamburg, as Dr. Sonder can also give from my letters perhaps much acceptable information.
Bauera
Coleostylis umbellata
Eriostemon Hillebrandi
Marianthes bignoniaceus
Melaleuc
Mitrasacme
Myosurus australis
Polypompholyx adenotricha
Stenanthera
Stylidium
Stylidium umbellata
Styphelia
Grampians, Vic.
The editor added a footnote to the published version: 'The packet in question has not yet arrived.'
In M to W. Hooker, 28 April 1854, M asked that Polypompholyx adenotricha not be published, however it had appeared in the published source of this letter before M's request could have been received.
Brown (1810).
Marianthus?
Letter not found. For the text given here, see B54.06.01.
Please cite as “FVM-53-11-21,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on