To William Hooker   19 November 1854

Avon River, Gipp's Land,¹ Nov. 19/1854.

Sir William

The interest, which you formerly so kindfully bestowed on my communications, induces me to despatch from this locality at the commencement of a new botanical journey to the Australian Alps a few lines to you, to lay before you some results of my first ascent of the mountains this year. — I am just returned from Mount Wellington (Gipp's Land) and although at so early a season for the snowy regions I had not an opportunity of collecting several appearantly new and interesting plants even in the beginning of flower-development, yet I have seen in addition to several new plants and several not yet found previously beyond V.D.L., others in a better state of development than before, so that I hope to be justified in addressing this letter to you. —

Mount Wellington is rather more than 5000'² high, and although Podocarpus alpina and some other truely alpine plants are absent³ there, I think, it may be safely considered more than subalpine, on account of its far southern situation. A heavy snow-storm at the middle of this month (equal to your May), which unfortunately shortened my explorations there, called into my mind, how far I was above the hot plains of Gipps Land. But I will not trouble you with the detail of incidents of such journeys, of which no one will be able to give a more lively account, than Dr Jos. Hooker, from such altitudes as formerly only Humb, Bonpl, Pentland and Boussingault reached in America,⁴ — but I will merely enumerate a few of the most interesting plants which I met at this mount. The long looked for Astelia alpina I at lenght succeeded in finding on this continent-island, accompanied by Veronica nivea (out of flower), by a species of Haplopappus (perhaps identical with a VDL. sp.), by a Decaspora with the habit of an Acrotriche and distinct from R Br's⁵ both kind, and having a 5-10 seeded berry, so that it comes already near to Pentachondra. I saw besides thebeautiful little Pimelea alpina for the first time in flower, and seeing this plant exposed to snow at such a season I could not help thinking what an acquisition it would be to the garden flora of England, reared without protection, and I will of this as well as the other alpine plants collect at the season as much seeds as I posibly can get. The species appears to me very distinct from P. humilis in smooth floral leaves, smallness of flowers, which are in various tints red outside, with a white limbus.

But the gem of my new collection consists in a new whiteflowered Ranunculus, which when shown to a Botanist at home would be rather considered as a plant from the alps of the north than of Australia, and it deserves for its typical similarity with the general feature of alpine plants, (so rare to be met with amongst those of Australia) so much attention, that I at once transmit to you specimens with a brief diagnosis.

Ranunculus Millani

Acaulis; folia glabra, pinnatisecta; segmenta linearia, obtusiuscula, indivisa vel dissecta; scapus solitarius, uniflorus, parce pilosus, petiolis glabrescentibus brevior; sepala appressa, glabra, margine membranace[a];⁶ petala alba, 5-10, obovato-cuneata, calyce fere duplo longiora; styli subuncinati; carpidia ……

On places denudated of grass on the summit of Mount Wellington in Gipps land, at an elevation of about 5000',⁷ where snow lodges during the greater part of the year. Flourishes in Nov. & December The root produces a fascicle of fibres. The leaves are expanded over the moist black soil, and are with the addition of the petiole from 1 to 2 inches long. The peduncle rises seldom to the hight of one inch, and bears an elegant tender white flower, rarely slightly yellow tinged, which colour it however [ac]cepts⁸ by exsiccation.⁹ Each petal is only provided with a solitary nectar-gland and this character alone would separate my plant widely from R. Gunnia[nus]¹⁰ which grows in moist grassy places at the same locality. — I have named this neat Ranunculus, the first new one, which I observed in Australia, in honor of Angus M'Millan Esq.,¹¹ who not only deserves this slight scientific tribute for the discovery of Mount Wellington and so many other mountains, which he named and first ascended, and which border one of the finest and delightful districts of Australia, Gipps Land, of which Mr M'Millan under not ordinary difficulties and dangers was the first explorer, but also as I wished to acknowledge thus permanently my gratitude to this gentleman for much support, which I received from him in my botanical journeys through this district.

New to me is farther a myrtaceous plant,¹² perhaps a Kunzea, from this region, with the habit of [Calluna] vulgaris, a leguminous plant, like Templetonia retusa, (which latter I formerly found on Spencers Gulf) both out of flowers and fruit, a broad leaved Celmisia also destitute of fl. & fr., a species of Wilsonia, apparently distinct from W. Backhousii; a dwarf Leucopogon, which I formerly saw from V.DL, I met here the first time, and Leucopogon obtusatus is abundant. Gaultheria hispida is scattered here and there and descends sometimes to lower localities; the natives are very fond of its fruit. The plant which I called in my second annual report Eriostemon phylicoides proves by its flowers, which I here observed for the first time a Phebalium, and is one of the finest species of this ornamental genus. — Grevillea australis, Euryo[myrtus]¹³ alpina, Bossiaea distichoclada,Oxylobium alpestre, Hovea gelida,¹⁴ Ozothamnus Hookeri, Exocarpus humifusa, Eurybia megalophylla, Goodenia cordifolia,¹⁵ Celmisia astelifolia¹⁶ Ranunculus scapiger,¹⁷ Geranium brevicaule, Callistemon Sieberi, Hibbertia minutifolia, Brachycome nivalis, Symphyomera Filicula, Gentiana Diemensis, Mniarum biflorum, a species of Oreobolus,¹⁸ Lomaria alpina &c grow also on Mount Wellington. In the swampy tableland, about 4000 high, occurr Didiscus humilis, Anisotome simplicifolia, Epacris heteronema, Myriophyllum simplicifolium, Pimelea ligustrina, a species of Andraea¹⁹ (unfortunately not found in fruit) and a Patersonia, which I shall call as the only Irideous plant here to be found in such height P. subalpina.²⁰ It appears to be well distinct from P. sericea, a plant of the warmer part of Australia; I saw only yet the decayed seedvessel[s] of it, whilst P. longiscapa & P. glauca are nearly out of flower in the lower country; the leaves are 4-6" long, ciliated, unequally streaked; the scape is half as long as the leaves, upw[ard]²¹ compressed and thickened and all along with the spatha, silky pubescent.

In the country between Melbourne and Mount Wellington I saw little of interest, additions to my list were Emex Australis, Drosera spathulata, Chaetospora mniaroides,²² Gastrodia sesamoides, Pterostylis acuminata, Lecanora byssacea,²³ a Chorysanthes (growing out of the stems of the treeferns),²⁴ a few additional mosses, a splendid Cassia, which may be new,²⁵ a pretty Pomaderris with which I [am] yet unacquainted, a Lepidosperma, probably distinct from L. flexuosum, a Eurybia, an excellent Grevillea belonging to sect. Lissostylis, forming a considerable bush with flatt large ovate underneath downy leaves; this Grevillea is undescribed in R. Br. Pr,²⁶ but perhaps existing amongst Siebers or Cunninghams²⁷ plants. Finally I have yet to mention a Daviesia, almost intermediate between D. latifolia & D. ruscifolia, with heartshaped dark green shining leaves, which are sessile and smaller as in D. latifolia; but participate in their bitterness (Native Hop) —; the racemes are corymbose. It differs from D. ruscifolia in not pungent leaves and twigs. A kind of Pleurandra, perhaps distinct from P. stricta, and Dillwynia parvifolia grow along side of it; — all three equally beautiful.

I am preparing now for an ascent of the Bogong mountain, which is probably higher than Mount Coskiusko²⁸ in N.S.W. — ; it is at all events the king of the mountains in Victoria and I trust that I shall be able to surmount the difficulties on the long way to it. It is the real centre of the Australian alps and I hope it will furnish me yet with so many desiderati of the Tasmanian alp-plants, for which I have been hitherto looking in vain.

Last night arrived the overland letters from home here in Gipps land. I would have been so delighted, Sir William, to receive a few lines from your hand, and I fear now, that you may have been ill. With anxiety I shall look out now for the Europe mail to learn to the contrary. The late Governor will now long ago, I trust, have delivered to you all the manuscripts from 1853 and the not unconsiderable collection of plants: I do not know yet neither of the safe arrival of what I send this year by the Queen of the South, Golden Age, by the overland mail, by Mr Howitt (the poet) &c. Quite lately I send a box with specimens seeds and pamphlets again per Great Brittain. The manuscripts are always on detached leaves, so that any part unworthy found by you for publication may be omitted. I shall wait with the publication of the Flora of Victoria, until I have the advantage of consulting Dr Hookers famed works on the N.Z. & V.D.L. Flora,²⁹ and also not to interfere unduly with him. Could I not receive these works and other new ones, which may be useful to me through your kindness from your bookseller, who might send them to a Melbourne merchants house, by which I will instantly remit the amount.

I remain ever, Sir William,

your most obedient and devoted servant

Ferd. Mueller

Acrotriche

Andraea

Anisotome simplicifolia

Bossiaea distichoclada

Brachycome nivalis

Callistemon Sieberi

Calluna vulgaris

Cassia

Celmisia

Celmisia astelifolia

Chaetospora mniaroides

Chorysanthes

Daviesia latifolia

Daviesia ruscifolia

Decaspora

Didiscus humilis

Dillwynia parvifolia

Drosera spathulata

Emex Australis

Epacris heteronema

Eriostemon phylicoides

Eurybia

Eurybia megalophylla

Euryomyrtus alpina

Exocarpus humifusa

Gastrodia sesamoides

Gaultheria hispida

Gentiana Diemensis

Geranium brevicaule

Goodenia cordifolia

Grevillea

Grevillea australis

Haplopappus

Hibbertia minutifolia

Hovea gelida

Kunzea

Lecanora byssacea

Lepidosperma flexuosum

Leucopogon obtusatus

Lissostylis

Lomaria alpina

Mniarum biflorum

Myriophyllum simplicifolium

Oreobolus

Oxylobium alpestre

Ozothamnus Hookeri

Patersonia glauca

Patersonia longiscapa

Patersonia sericea

Patersonia subalpina

Pentachondra

Phebalium

Pimelea alpina

Pimelea humilis

Pimelea ligustrina

Pleurandra stricta

Podocarpus alpina

Pomaderris

Pterostylis acuminata

Ranunculus Millani

Ranunculus scapiger

Symphyomera Filicula

Templetonia retusa

Veronica nivea

Wilsonia Backhousii