Mount Sturgeon,1 23. Nov. 1853.
Sir
I have the honor to inform you for communication to his Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, that I arrived here on the 10th instant and that I have been since that time engaged in examining the Grampians and the Victoria ranges. I adscended many of the highest mountains, and found the subalpine vegetation of Mount William particularly interesting.
The Victoria-Flora has been enriched during this part of the journey with about 70 species of plants, of which the fourth part appears to be yet undescribed. The Government-herbarium received besides numerous additions in those species, which Sir Thomas Mitchell previously discovered2 and which seem to be confined to these ranges.
The following genera comprehend the new additions: Panicum, Carex, Hydrocotyle, Pterostylis, Desvauxia, Brachycome, Mimulus, Limosella, Isoetopsis, Pycnosorus, Minuria, Myosurus, Silphiosperma, Polypompholyx, Stylidium, Conospermum, Hakea, Ixodia, Callitris, Argyrophanes, Stypandra, Bartramia, Helipterum, Helichrysum, Lepidosperma, Neurachne, Amphipogon, Festuca, Gompholobium, Acacia, Xerotes, Pultenaea, Restio, Styphelia, Marianthus, Lissanthe, Macdonaldia, Microtis, Melaleuca, Fimbriaria, Trymalium, Mitrasacme, Boronia, Corraea, Bauera, Stenanthera, Eriostemon, Dichopogon, Bryum, Wilsonia, Calycothrix and a genus of Papilionaceae and Sapindaceae, which I consider new. Of 19 of these genera I observed never any species within the limits of this colony before. The orders of Leguminosae and Compositae received principly additions.
The dry hot weather of the last month will not permit me to take a more westerly course to the Murray river as along the Avoca, for which river I am now preparing to start. It is my intention to traverse, according to his Excellency's command, through some part of the Mallee scrub, and to proceed thence to Albury towards the end of next month.
A species of Gompholobium proved in this vicinity as dangerous a herb as an allied species in the Swan river settlement,3 causing the death of sheep under the same symptoms as described by Mr James Drummond in his accounts of the poisenous plant of Western Australia.4 But fortunately this deleterious herb is neither frequent nor occurring on the usual pastural land, but chiefly in barren scrubby localities.
The prevailing rock in the Grampians and Victoria-ranges is Sandstone. I was informed, that malachite has been found in these ranges, and judging from their similarity with the Lofty-ranges of South Australia; in which several Coppermines have been opened, I feel perfectly convinced at least of the existance of Copper ore and probably also of lead in these mountains.
I have the honor,
Sir,
to be your most obedient and humble servant
Ferd. Mueller,
Gov. Botanist
The honorable, the Colonial Secretary.
Acacia
Amphipogon
Argyrophanes
Bartramia
Bauera
Boronia
Brachycome
Bryum
Callitris
Calycothrix
Carex
Compositae
Conospermum
Corraea
Desvauxia
Dichopogon
Eriostemon
Festuca
Fimbriaria
Gompholobium
Hakea
Helichrysum
Helipterum
Hydrocotyle
Isoetopsis
Ixodia
Leguminosae
Lepidosperma
Limosella
Lissanthe
Macdonaldia
Marianthus
Melaleuca
Microtis
Mimulus
Minuria
Mitrasacme
Myosurus
Neurachne
Panicum
Papilionaceae
Polypompholyx
Pterostylis
Pultenaea
Pycnosorus
Restio
Sapindaceae
Silphiosperma
Stenanthera
Stylidium
Stypandra
Styphelia
Trymalium
Wilsonia
Xerotes
Please cite as “FVM-53-11-23,” 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