To Ronald Gunn   12 June 1855

Melbourne, 70. Collin Street East.

12. June 1855.

My dear Sir

I beg to transmit to you by the same vessel, which brought your obligingly forwarded books, the four first volumes and suppl I of Kunth's enumeratio,¹ which I have in duplo, wishing they may be wanting to your fine library and that you will accept them from me as a slight token of my respect for you. I wished I had the fift also for you, which concludes the work, unless there should be some posthumous writings of Kunth appear yet. Your books have been equally a source to me of delight and instruction, and I have to thank you most heartily for your resolute attention to my desire, as you thus enabled me, to alter a few names of my plants as also to convince me, that most of my last alpine plants are as distinct from those of Tasmania as from those of N. Zeal and the antarctic island. What an admirable worker Dr Hooker is, and what a splendid work may we expect from him on the Tasmanian flora² after so much information and communication of your own, and after this long experience amongst Australian plants.³ — The pamphlets I received equally thankfully and when using them on my journey I shall always think of you.

I[n]⁴ about a week or say the utmost in two weeks I shall restore the volumes to you with my best thanks; and should the scientific societies here have by that time published more of their transactions it will give me the greatest pleasure to send them.

With regard to your very considerable observation on Hutchinsia I beg leave to remark, that I am sure, the genus as comprising Pleurorrhizae and Nothorrhizae must fall entirely to the ground half the species belong to Capsella! and Dr Hookers Stenopetalum incisifolium is one of them, and the other half into Thlaspi I am very sorry to be unacquainted with Hutch. Tasmanica, for it may be my Capsella antipoda from Mount Alexander.⁵ Capsella Australasica (Stenopet. incisifol.) is here a coast plant and C. pilosula grows in the desert. I regret much that I was not aware at the time of publishing my first report,⁶ that Myosurus occurred also in N.Z. Erigeron pappochroma passed into Haplopappus (as you expected); we have a true Erigeron (if I not err) and also Haplopappus bellidioides & Gunnii in this alps. Your advice is a very good one, to have copies [...]⁷ of separately of my botanic papers. For this time it is too late to do so, but I have applied for permission to the Council of the Society's with regard to those papers which I am sending now.

I was most anxiously awaiting Mr Archer, having a parcel of plants ready for Sir Will Hooker, which I hoped he would take with him.⁸ Most thankful I shall be to Dr Milligan for his Endlich. genera;⁹ I will instantly send the amount for it and am so anxious to take the book on my next journey for which I am now preparing.

I am exceedingly sorry for all the trouble which I have given you, and most deeply obliged to you for your kindful comply to all my wishes. Nothing will give me greater pleasure as to serve you again, wherever an opportunity may be given by you.

Believe me to be your most attached servant

Ferd. Mueller.

R. Gunn Esq.

&c &c &c

I hope Dr Milligan will give me some information on Orites Milligani¹⁰

Capsella antipoda

Capsella Australasica

Capsella pilosula

Erigeron pappochroma

Haplopappus bellidioides

Haplopappus Gunnii

Hutchinsia Tasmanica

Myosurus

Orites Milligani

Stenopetalum incisifolium

Thlaspi