To William Hooker1    11 January 1857

On Board the "Governor General"

11. January 1857

My dear Sir William.

Safely returned from the North Australian journey in Mr Gregory's overland-party and now on my way to Melbourne, I overread once more the many kind letters from my patrons, friends and relations all of whom I have to thank for their kind wishes for my welfare, and for their generous exertions for promoting my interest. Three of your letters lay before me, Sir William; bearing the dates: 3 July 1855, 22 Oct. 1855, Dec. 19 1855.2 May I soon enjoy a few lines again from your hand, even only to let me know, that providence guaranted you live and health! To you particularly my obligations are due, and my thank must be directed, for the circumspect and benign steps you took, in smoothening the way before me. Allow me to absolve first the questions of your letter, and to communicate then my progress and farther plans.

I shall enquire about the subsidia, you applied for, in order to see some of the results of my former labours published.3 I have no doubt, that the sum of 300£ will be granted, for the finances of the Victoria Colony are not only in a flourishing state, but also a strong desire is manifested to promote scientific research. That the Tasmanian Flora is progressing under Dr Hookers masterhand is and will be a source of delight to me, and I am fully aware of the advantage of delaying my own work, when thus such a valuable spring of instructions will be opened to me, moreover when Dr Hooker also devoted part of his valuable time to give me information on not V.D.L. plants, a kindness for which I shall never be able to recompense him fully. Much I have also to acknowledge, that you deemed my explorations in the Alps worthy of so much notice, and that you exercised your powerful influence so much in my behalf.

When I first entertained, after the Gov. aid was withdrawn from me,4 the idea of joyning the N.A. Exped. I had reason to be careful before I should take such a bold step. For I had not only to regard the enfeebled state of my constitution after a severe illness, but also, that for 2 or 3 years my private affairs would be utterly neglected and entirely go to ruin. I had farther to contemplate the dreadful fates of the two last expeditions, which went out,5 and lastly the uncertainty, whether the elaboration of any discovered plants as the reward for my labours would be entrusted to myself, and even when I took leave of absence I did not pledge myself to join the expedition, but informed my Government that I could do so only after having consulted the Gov. General & Mr Gregory in Sydney, [and] after I had persuaded myself, there, that the arrangements of the expedition were such, as to secure at least in some degree success and safety to the party.6 Mr Gregory's kind behaviour towards me, and a better insight into the arrangements pervaded me with confidence and I embarked, but even then expressing myself, should I in the seavoyage not speedily recover my strength, I should be obliged to sail in the Monarch to Singapore. That I kept such an unsettled affair as a secret even to you, Sir William, you will now consider right, or at least pardonable.

I am highly gratified with either of the arrangements you propose in aid of the Victoria Flora, should I be unable to go to England or rather to you to Kew, and it seems to me, as I shall hardly be able to ensure the invaluable cooperation of Dr Harvey for some years to come, if I right presume, that he would not probably like to leave the fertile field of algology, until he was a regnant of the whole of its territory, by taking a cursory and for him comparatively unprofitable walk through an other part of Flora's empire. — Quite different would it be in an universal Flora of Australia, for which Brown's, Cunningham's & Drummonds collections must be consulted, and which I could in the colony not attempt without the cooperation of a great botanist at home. — It seems therefore, that if an assistant of yours could compare further on dubious plants, and left doubtful matters to your decisive auctority, I should not heap to much work on yourself or your bot. friends, and still be able to produce a work of correct information, useful to this country in particular, and not deficient of the requirements of our age.

When I say, Sir William, that Centella & Dichopetalum the first are of my plants which I ever saw and now through your inestimable kindness, figured, you will be sure, it was a moment of ful delight to me, seeing those fine plates.7

I have, to confess the truth, more confidence to Mr Mittens labours, than to those of my bryological friends in Germany, after they will not even recognize the identity of Funaria Hygrometrica, and I am at least happy to see other views expressed by Mitten In the Flora of Victoria I can then have my choice. "Try all and keep the best" (Pray, not for the press)8

How glad I am, that you, Sir William, as well as Dr Hooker, share in my view, I ought to go home, to absolve there the N. Austr. plants, particularly as this desire of yours is manifested voluntarily & previous to my own expressions upon this point.

Sir Will. Denison received me in an audienz with marked kindness, communicated your flattering remarks on my poor services to me again,9 has given me a month leave of absence to communicate with the Vict. Govern. and to arrange my private affairs, and has addressed like wise a letter to Sir Henry Barkly in my behalf.10

Also my warmest thanks for your disinterested grant of a set of specimens to me. Depend upon it, I shall be in selecting very modest. Your own and Sir Will. Denisons steps could not have been more to the point.

How do I regret not to be able to send ample contributions to your Museum this time, altho' everything I could have procured could have been so insignificant after you returned from your glorious presidency loaded with bot. treasures to your home.11 In my letter from the Victoria River, June 1856, I have stated how suddenly I was called into the field again, but that it consequently was impossible to collect the few interesting woo[d]12 specimens obtainable at our main camp, myself. I hope that the few I pointed out, are procured, but the vessel chartered in place of the condemnd "Tom Tough" is not yet arrived in Sydney, but daily expected; may she safely arrive, for the greater part of our collections and documents are on board of her, Mr Bain[es] being in charge of the party on boa[rd.] Mr Baines has made a fine drawing of Adansonia Gregorii, and many other sketches, which will well convey a true idea of N.W. Australia.

 

Melbourne 14 Jan 1857

 

You will regret, Sir William, that I see no possibility of return[ing] at once to England. In Melbourne I was received with such universal kindness and such a strong desire was manifested to see me resume my office again, that I could not well resist the public feeling. All my friends, some of them in the Ministry, advice me not to get obliterat[ed] here by leaving again for two years. The finances are flourishing, a new little house is built for me, an[d] I shall be more independent in the bot. gard. arrangements than before. I return soon therefore to Syd[ney, to] regulate notes and collections for transmis[sion] to Kew, and take the set of plants granted for me over to Melbourne, where I will complete as a bye-work the bot. examination of the N. Austral. plants. But for the sake of solving all the dubious questions I hope to be able to go for a summer home after a year or two, when I shall enjoy the opportunity of seeing you and your excellent son.13

In the following lines I shall now endeavour to bring the principle plants seen during our journey from the Victoria River to the Gulf of Carpentaria and thence into the settlements under your notice. The country up the Victoria River yielded little additional to the collection as this was the third time, I went up the river, nor did the southern part of Arnheims14 Land, through which we forced our way over to the Gulf-rivers furnish many plants not seen before. But I may mention some fine Psoraleas,15 Ventilago racemosa,16 Catha Cunninghami, Stylidium alsinoides, Lotus Australis, Alphitonia excelsa, a sp. of Camphoromyrtus, Lobelia dioica, a stemless Isolepis, Lindernia subulata, a Pittosporum with small pear-shaped fruits, 2 species of Bergia (a third occuring on Sturts Creek) as additional plants from this part of the country. The most interesting to me was a kind of Hydrolea,17 also not unfrequent on the Gulf of Carpentaria, and one of the few plants in the discovery of which I rejoyce the addition of natural orders to the Australian Flora. The Stringy-bark tree of this part of the country differs from the Southern species and altho an Eucalyptus it produces Angophoralike a fourtoothed Calyx. Several other species of this genus, all trees, were noticed, of which 2 are highly ornamental in producing scarlet flowers and lamellar bark, an other in having a double operculum. I found it necessary, for the sake of satisfactory distinctions, to describe all the tropical Eucalypti, nearly 30 species, on the spot,18 and I was never at a loss how to discriminate between variety and species by considering all the characters of the trees collectively, and by paying due attention to the soil, ha[bit]19 structure and texture of the bark, the manner of its decortication, consulting likewise as very important the insertion and form of the fruit-valves, which before opening form a flatt or more or less convex vertex to the capsul, a character which, beautiful as it is, can only be studied in living plants. Important also is the structure and form of the fertile seeds, most of the ovules becoming abortive; the former are in many kinds provided with a very large wing, altho the seeds of the generality of the sp. are wingless. As precisely by the same character Fabricia is separated from Leptospermum, I do not hesitate to refer the former as a sub-genus to the latter. Deviating here from my topic I may mention at once a Melaleuca, a truly beautiful little tree with orange flowerheads, which bears terminal by complete concrescence spherical fruitheads. As little as I feel inclined to remove upon this ground the plant from Melaleuca, as little should I feel justified of removing Syncarpia from Tristania and Symphyomyrtus from Eucalyptus, unless other differences exist, of which I am not aware. I found it likewise difficult to draw a line of demarcation between the sp of Callistemon and Melaleuca. — Both Vallisnerias, a Nelumbium, which extends to extratropical latitudes on the Condamine River, 2 Nymphaeas, 2 Ouvirandras, to which a third species was added on the East Coast, a Utricularia20 with dissected leaves and the uppermost leafstalkes enlarged into a spongy mass, which assists in supporting the floating plant, a submersed Ottelia, a new Potamogeton, which differs from P. pusillus in producing floating leaves, were observed in the rivers and lagoons of the Gulf of Carpentaria.21

One of the main branches of the Roper-River having led us towards the Gulf, Mr Gregory shaped an inland course again, in order to cross the rivers of the Gulf of Carpentaria near their sources, where the Sandstone-tableland was broken into deep ravines, replenished with an interesting vegetation almost devoid of Indian forms. A new genus of Verbenaceae, a Cochlospermum distinct from the Victoria River species,22 an arborescent charming Calycotrix,23 an Astartea,24 Phyllanthus,25 Gompholobium,26 a new genus of Myrtaceae27 allied to Paryphanta28 & Tryptomene,29 a Trichinium,30 Helicteres, Scoparia dulcis, Mitrasacme, some splendid Hibisci, Mimulus Uvedaliae, a fine tall Sesbania,31 used by the natives for duck-spears, a Blumea, Caesia lateriflora, and many other plants were here the fruits of my collecting labours. On the M'Arthur River I noticed the first cruciferous32 plant during the expedition, namely Cardamine debilis, nor were any other found in tropical Australia, until with many other southern plants Nasturtium terrestre made on the E coast its appearance. Plantagineae, Epacrideae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Tremandreae, Junceae, Geraniaceae, were likewise wanting, and Compositae, Proteaceae, and Umbelliferae scarce, so that Leguminosae retained decidedly their former preponderance. The genus Hemicarpus received a third species, (H. glandulosus) well confirming the generic character, and its next relative Didiscus a new procumbent species (D. procumbens) at the eastern coast. Fine Brachychiton trees with Platanus leaves were here and there very conspicuous in the landscape, a few small lichens were for the first time noticed in fruit on rocks, also Centunculus pentandrus, a Hydrocotyle,33 an erect Cynanchum, Stylidium floribundum, and new genus of Buettneriaceae allied to Thomasia,34 Kera[u]drenia35 anodonta, some prickly Solana,36 various Desmodia, a little Calandrinia,37 several Loranthi, to one of which, L. bracteosus,38 already Dr Leichhardt alluded as being singular for the very large leafy bracts.39 Unfortunately we did not obtain on the Albert River the expected additional supplies, other wise, no doubt, Mr Gregory would have made an other gallant dash inland, which in all likelihood would have disclosed new desert plants, and thus baffled we had now to proceed direct to the East coast. On the Albert River Vitex trifolia was very common, V. acuminata occurred likewise, also a white-flowering Sphaeranthus and a yellow Ipomoea. Potamogeton crispus and Myriophyllum verticillatum grew in the brackish water abundantly. This river rises near the coast, and its upper branches are running through out the year, whilst all other water courses, with the exception of the Burdekin40 River, which we examined are broken up into stagnant pools or fine deep reeches and others formed only wide sandy dry beds, filled however, as the driftwood indicates, at certain years with a vehement stream. Many of the desert shrubs approached to the "plains of promise," warning us of the aridity of the interior, and indeed we had much difficulty now at the dry season to find a water supply on our route to the East. Our attempt of getting in a streight line across to the Burdekin was for want of water frustrated so that we were driven into the Cape Yorke Peninsula until we reached the sandy channel of a River, perhaps the Gilbert of Dr Leichhardt, which brought us at its sources to the dividing range between the Lynd and Burdekin. I was not sorry for the deviation, for I ascertained here that the Nonda of Dr Leichhardt41 is a new Chrysobalanaceous tree and I got here also in reach of the only gnetaceous plant hitherto found in Australia. The tract of country on the S.E. side of the Gulf of Carpentaria is densely covered with an open scrub of a Melaleuca, (the broad-leaved tea-tree of Dr Leichhardt)42 which seems to pass in better ground gradually into Melal. Leucadendron.43

Crossing the dividing range between the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria and those of the E. coast at the driest season, and hurried along for want of water I was tantalized in being unable to examine thoroughly its vegetation, and unquestionably in these mountains will at a later day a productive field yet be found for the operations of a Botanist. Xanthorrhoea, perhaps X. Australis, was here seen for the first time, a curious Jacksonia, a splendid Pimelea with long red spikes,44 some Dodonaeas,45 two Bauhinias,46 distinct from the N. & N.W. species, a Boronia,47 a Grevillea,48 and I snatched several others up when the porphyritic and granitic rocks came in contact with the Sandstone.

The Burdekin furnished a large-flowering49 pentaphyllous Trichosanthes, a second species of Luffa, two Meliaceous trees with eatable fruits, an arborescent Abrus? Hakea purpurea, a caesalpineus genus near to Cassia with long septate pods and the lower stamens enlarged at the middle into a big globular gland. But I missed after all search the Largenaria, mentioned from here by the immortal discoverer of this important river altho' we saw the Calabashes with the aborigines.50 Nor was I lucky enough to find here Osmunda, Sciadophyllum, or on the Carpentaria Gulf the Eugenia with large fruits discovered by my poor countryman. A narrow streamlet meanders through the broad sandy bed of the Burdekin River throughout the year, a charming sight to the wanderers of the desert, where we had so many a thirsty day. The vegetation shows here for the greater part but little variety, for the country along the river is an undulated51 pasture-land, but from the lower part of this river extends in large tracts to the southward that complex of Bushes & thickets called by the settlers Brigalow Scrub. Bad to traverse as it was for our packhorses, equally delightful were these spots to me as a Botanist. Brachychiton Delabechei, B. populneum & the platanus-like species from the N. coast occurred here, Acacias of various kinds, two Geijeras, Eremophila Mitchelli, some Dodonaeas, Pholidia polyclada Myoporum, Cassias, amongst which the extraordinar C. circinnata,52 a small cedrelaceous tree, Bursar[ia,] some rubiaceous bushes included in the genera Coffea, Psychotria,53 Canthium54 & Gardenia,55 a Distemma,56 Santalum lanceolatum a few Melaleuca[,] Triphasia glauca, Scaevola spinescens, Stenochilus longifolius, glaber, & maculatus, a curious Anthobolus! very distinct from the two described species (A. leptomeroides), a Plectranthus with exactly the smell of Cloves (P. caryophyllatus)57 Pittosporum acacioides, several sp. of Capar[is]58 a new Verbena,59 several Cissi60 & Asclepiadeae form the principle constituents of the Brigalow scrub, through which Eucalypti are scattered of various kinds. Your Eucal[.] populifolius61 is one of the principle forest trees of this part of the country.

Towards peak-range we entered upon the richest basaltic plains imaginable, but unfortunately, for many months in the year they are destitute of water. An abundant development of Compositae was here perceptible for the first,62 the yellow patches of Brachycome chrysoglossa being visible for long distances. Minuria,63 Pycnosorus, Ixiolaena, Podolepis, Helipterum punctatum, Zygophyllum apiculatum and many other southern plants seem to reach here their northern boundary line, and I have been particular in taking notice, in what succession the Southern plants advanced into the tropical and subtropical latitudes, many stretching as far as 18o S. Polygonum aviculare, Oxalis microphylla, Datura stramonium, Sonchus oleraceus, Teucrium argutum, were the first we met, and altho' we passed the country only in one line, still I think that I am able to fix approximately the northern boundary of more than 100 N.S.W. species

But it was not until we reached the Burnett — and above all the Brisbane River, that I could enjoy the sight and shade of the dark forest-vegetation; which covers there in many places hill and dale, where Araucaria Bidwilli and Eutassa Cunninghami send their lofty crowns over all other trees, and where the monotony of Eucalyptus gives way to the delightful shade of Sapindaceous, Meliaceous, cedrelaceous, celastrinous, laurinaceous Sapotaceous & euphorbiaceous trees, mixed with Acmene, Pittosporum, Eupomatia, Castanospermum &c, numerous climbers concealing beneath them the lovely Aneilmas, ferns, Lobelias and many other tender plants, a vegetation, which to picture I will not attempt. I was however, so charmed with what I had seen, that after our arrival at Moreton Bay I returned with the excellent Mr Hill to the upper tributaries of the Brisbane and struck64 thence over to the remarkable isolated mountains called the "Glasshouses" by the settlers. At the latter place we found chiefly Port Jackson plants even Tetratheca amongst them, a new Westringia receiving the name W. grandifolia65 —; but along the little running streamlets of the Brisbane River we had a fine harvest of noble plants, many of them already noted before by Mr Hill, who with a most laudable zeal has devoted himself to the examination of the splendid forest vegetation, that surrounds him at Moreton Bay. Amongst the plants found by him, Grevillea Banksii, Orites excelsa, Southwellia quadrifida, which bears beautiful red follicles with black seeds, a sp. of Hippocratea,66 Calamus and Pothos,67 Ophioglossum pendulum (as Mr M'Leay points out a parasite on Platycerium grande)68 and a climbing Peperomia deserve the greatest admiration.

During the later period of our journey, the plants increased to such a number for the collection, that I was unable to describe from fresh specimens at all, but during the earlier part of this section of the expedition, I found particularly on Sundays time for writing detailed descriptions of the more interesting plants, which as regards the gay colours of Hibiscus, the tender flowers of Stylidium or Mitrasacme, or the easily forgotten habitual characters of Eucalypti, was, I think, of some importance. Up to this time I have finished upwards of 500 botanical descriptions. I regret to add, that many of the specimens, after being carried for such a distance by our packhorses, had suffered materially above all by brackage, and when the rainy season set in at our approach to the E. coast I lost many specimens or damaged them in drying, a process which after our long daily stages was in the humid evening air not easily accomplished, particularly as we could not lo[ad]69 our poor packanimals in such a climate with large heavy tents at the outset from the Victoria River. Moreover we hoped to obtain new supplies at the Albert River, so that I was unable to take more than 1/2 a reem of light paper for securing the specimens. In consequence of our not meeting the Schooner at the Gulf I was during the latter part of our expedition seriously impeded in my operations for want of material to dry my plants. Still I am glad to state that I lost no species entirely, and it is due to Mr Gregory's wise arrangements, that I succeeded in bringing my collection safely home.

Impossible as it was to remain far beh[ind] of the party on account of the hostilities of the natives, which attacked us twice — I have not secured so many kinds of seeds as I might have wished, particularly during the latter part of the exploratio[n,] one bag ful being unfortunately lost on a very rainy day, when we broke through some dense mountain-scrub; — but when I say, Sir William, that I never lost a single minute in repose or useless occupation, I trust with tranquillity of my mind, that you will be content with the small quantity that I have to offer. My time indeed was so much occupied, that I could not even write my journal at daylight, but I devoted part of my two hours nightly watch on the bivouak-fire for the purpose. — Perhaps it may be interesting to you to picture the daily routine of our life in the field. We were roused precisely at four o cl. a.m. by the last sentry on watch, finished our simple breakfast in 1/4 of an hour, went at once out in search of our horses, and managed generally to have them caught, driven in saddled and packed a little past sunrise. We travelled hardly ever less than 8 hours, often 10, at the rate of about 3 miles an hour, but when grass or water was not conveniently found sometimes considerably longer. Unloading, going through our little domestic duties, repair of cloaths and saddlery, attendance to our noble animals, whichout which we would have been helpless beings in the wilderness, pitching our calico-sheets and refreshing ourselfes by a hasty meal would occupy us for better than an hour, the rest of the day, about 2 hours at the average, was allotted to the special duties of our respective deparments. I would employ myself in examining the plants around our camp, in attending to the specimens and seeds snatched up on the way or writing botanical notes. At night we stretched ourselfes on our blanket, and generally in full cloaths, to be ready for defence at a seconds notice, the gun alongside us, the revolver under our head. —

During our journey around the southern part of the Carpentaria-Gulf, the season was so dry, that even that precious providential gift of nature, the Purslane, was parched and bitter. Our rations were small, the saltpork melted by the heat to 1/4 of its original weight, which of course remained the standard; it became rancid and most indigestible, game was scarcely to be had. But when we proceeded to the eastern part of the continent, rainshowers had refreshed the vegetation, and we enjoyed not only the Portulac70 again, which was valuable above anything of the kind in being gathered without loss of time and being in its fresh state at once ready for use, but we relished also occasionally the boiled Chenopodium erosum, which is hardly inferior to spinage, altho' we could badly afford the time for collecting.

I add yet a few more botanical notes, altho' I can not at this time, collect my remarks for a proper general account of the last results. Casuarina equisetifolia was not seen before we reached the great northern Gulf. Grasses became less numerous than on the Victoria River and on Sturts Creek, and with a few exceptions mosses and lichens avoid obstinately the northern part of Australia. Fungi are likewise scarce. Chenopodium auricomum surrounds generally the waterholes and is often consociated with Polygonum Cunninghami. Having added again a few species of Crotalaria and Stylidium to the collection, I shall have a fine display of this genus in my enumeration. Greevesia extends as far as the Dawson River north. Brasenia has been seen only in leaves, and Mr Hill informs me, that he saw it in the Capaspe River, 71 whence it consequently enriches my Victoria Flora with the order of Cabombeae. I know now 5 menispermous plants from Australia, one certainly a Cocculus,72 an other belonging to Stephania. To Proteaceae I added as new only a arborescent Grevillea73 with compressed-filiform leaf-lobes, and an insignificant species of Stenocarpus,74 also perhaps a Hakea. Grevillea gibbosa, G. striata, G. chrysodendron, G. Ceratophylla & Hakea lorea gain extratropical latitudes. A new Herpestis (H. peplidifolia)75 and a new Tournefortia,76 Begonia, Parsonsia,77 and Marsdenia were to me interesting.

Taking a retrospective glance over my operations, I do not think to overrate the number of distinct plants as collected within the extratropical zone of Australia in stating it 1500 sp., of which I have reason to believe 500 are at least not yet described, altho' some of these beyond doubt have been seen by the venerable R. Brown and the late Allan Cunningham.

— I beg to inclose in this letter a cheque of 25£, praying you will be kind enough to order through your bookseller such works as are most essential for the farther examination of the North Australian plants, e.g. Hook & Thomson flor.Indic.78 I should also be very much obliged to recieve one of your simple microscopes, as used and recommended by yourself. This letter goes with the Gov. bag. I am just going to town to bring a parcel of books to Mr A. H. Bates, who is going home and will bring it to you. The transactions contain 100 diagn., not incorporated in the reprints.79 Perhaps you will obligingly forward the enclosed [2]80 books to Dr Sonder. — Colonel Valiant is bringing a choice collection of seeds from our garden, and from Sydney I shall send documents relative to our expedition, also native &c [...]81

I have the first two fascicles of the Tasmanian Flora before me, and am much delighted with their contents. You will allow me by a hasty glance through it to make a few observations on some of the plants enumerated, to which I would be anxious to see Dr Hookers consideration once more directed, the views which I express I advance with diffidence, still I thought it my duty, as disciple of a science, for science sake to express them!82

Some of the seeds, in fact a great many, you send us, have produced excellent acquisitions to our garden. I long for More! Having my hands f[ree]83 I shall be able to give excellent collections for exchange. I am so anxious to stock this garden well.84

The new Governor85 is a most amiable man, and takes the greatest interest in the promotion of arts and sciences. I learnt when returned to the settlements the death of Sir Charles Hotham with much regret. I was equally sorry, that the press had spoken [violently]86 in my behalf when I left, for no one was better aware but myself, that I could be well spared, — but being away it lay not in my power to defend the Governor.87

Believe me, Sir William, to be your

ever most devoted

Ferd. Mueller

 

Mr Wilhelmi is collecting in a very interesting district, the Grampians. Much indebted as I am to the excellent Mr Benthams remarks on my Acaciae, still his paper has given me much concern! — Had I known that all the manuscript names, which I only applied instead of numbers corresponding with my bot. notes, and as the only means of avoiding confusion in my journals — should appear before the public I certainly should never have send a single doubtful species at any time to Europe.88 In my own flora I shall emancipate myself of all useless synonymy

 

Abrus

Acacia

Acmene

Adansonia Gregorii

Alphitonia excelsa

Aneilmas

Angophora

Anthobolus leptomeroides

Araucaria Bidwilli

Asclepiadeae

Astartea

Banksia

Bauhinias

Begonia

Bergia

Blumea

Boronia

Brachychiton Delabechei

Brachychiton populneum

Brachycome chrysoglossa

Brasenia

Buettneriaceae

Bursaria

Cabombeae

Caesia lateriflora

Calamus

Calandrinia

Callistemon

Calycotrix

Camphoromyrtus

Canthium

Caparis

Cardamine debilis

Cassia circinnata

Castanospermum

Casuarina equisetifolia

Catha Cunninghami

Centella

Centunculus pentandrus

Ceratophylla

Chenopodium auricomum

Chenopodium erosum

Cissus

Cocculus

Cochlospermum

Coffea

Compositae

Crotalaria

Cynanchum

Datura stramonium

Desmodium

Dichopetalum

Didiscus procumbens

Distemma

Dodonaea

Epacrideae

Eremophila Mitchelli

Eucalyptus populifolius

Eugenia

Eupomatia

Eutassa Cunninghami

Fabricia

Funaria Hygrometrica

Gardenia

Geijeras

Geraniaceae

Gompholobium

Greevesia

Grevillea chrysodendron

Grevillea gibbosa

Grevillea striata

Hakea lorea

Hakea purpurea

Helicteres

Helipterum punctatum

Hemicarpus glandulosus

Herpestis peplidifolia

Hibiscus

Hippocratea

Hydrocotyle

Hydrolea

Ipomoea

Isolepis

Ixiolaena

Jacksonia

Junceae

Keraudrenia anodonta

Largenaria

Leguminosae

Leptospermum

Lindernia subulata

Lobelia dioica

Loranthus bracteosus

Lotus Australis

Luffa

Marsdenia

Melaleuca Leucadendron

Meliaceous

Mimulus Uvedaliae

Minuria

Mitrasacme

Myriophyllum verticillatum

Myrtaceae

Nasturtium terrestre

Nelumbium

Nonda

Nymphaea

Ophioglossum pendulum

Orites excelsa

Osmunda

Ottelia

Ouvirandra

Oxalis microphylla

Parsonsia

Paryphanta

Peperomia

Pholidia polyclada

Phyllanthus

Pimelea

Pittosporum acacioides

Plantagineae

Platanus

Platycerium grande

Plectranthus caryophyllatus

Podolepis

Polygonum aviculare

Polygonum Cunninghami

Potamogeton crispus

Potamogeton pusillus

Pothos

Proteaceae

Psoralea

Psychotria

Pycnosorus

Ranunculaceae

Rosaceae

Santalum lanceolatum

Scaevola spinescens

Sciadophyllum

Scoparia dulcis

Sesbania

Solanum

Sonchus oleraceus

Southwellia quadrifida

Sphaeranthus

Stenocarpus

Stenochilus glaber

Stenochilus longifolius

Stenochilus maculatus

Stephania

Stylidium alsinoides

Stylidium floribundum

Symphyomyrtus

Syncarpia

Tetratheca

Teucrium argutum

Thomasia

Tournefortia

Tremandreae

Trichinium

Trichosanthes

Triphasia glauca

Tristania

Tryptomene

Umbelliferae

Utricularia

Vallisneria

Ventilago racemosa

Verbena

Verbenaceae

Vitex acuminata

Vitex trifolia

Westringia grandifolia

Xanthorrhoea Australis

Zygophyllum apiculatum

 
Although marked up for publication, the first folio is annotated: 'not to be published'.
These letters have not been found.
See footnotes to M to W. Hooker, 5 April 1855.
Government funding for M's position as Government Botanist was granted in J. Moore to M, 2 May 1855, only to be withdrawn in J. Moore to M, 13 June 1855. Meanwhile Governor Hotham seems to have decided that the question of M's appointment could be resolved by granting him leave of absence for 18 months, which would remove the expense of his salary from the Government of Victoria for that period without the abolition of his position (see footnotes to J. Moore to M, 13 June 1855).
There were no survivors from Leichhardt's 1848 expedition, and only three of the thirteen members of the Kennedy expedition of 1848 survived.
For details of the appointment procedures, see footnotes to M to A. Gregory, 13 May 1855.
B55.13.11, plates 11 and 12. Although Centella cuneifolia is the caption on plate 12, the species was formally described under the name Microscadium cuneifolia.
Pray, … press is a marginal note in the MS.
Denison had been sent Hooker's comments on M's ability in response to M's request to A. Gregory, 9 July 1855, that M be allowed to keep one set of plants collected during the expedition. See footnotes to that letter for details.
Letter not found.
Hooker was a Member of the International Jury and President of the Second Class at the Great Universal Exhibition in Paris, and he wrote to W. Harvey on 9 October 1855: 'I am now going again to finish off & with £200 in my pocket to buy such objects as are to be sold, & as are not to be given to me' (RBG Kew, W. Hooker to W. Harvey 1832-60, f. 285). Hooker's roles are described in the certificate, dated 15 November 1855, thanking him for his services (RBG Kew, 'Diplomas, Sir W. J. Hooker').
editorial addition— obscured by binding. All square brackets in this and the following paragraph have this meaning.
In the archive, there is bound here a misplaced folio that must have been written later than this letter. See footnotes M to W. Hooker, March 1857. There is a note at the top of the next folio: 'Melbourne, Jany 14 1857'. Hooker printed the remainder of the letter in B57.13.02. Only changes in sense between the printed and autograph manuscript, and different spellings of place or botanical names, are noted here. Uncertain transcriptions and editorial additions follow the printed version.
printed version has Arrheim's.
printed version has Psoralias.
V. racemosa was invalidly published in the printed version of this letter (B57.13.02). See APNI.
Presumably H. ceilonica(B66.12.04, p. 192).
B58.11.01.
editorial addition— MS torn.
Presumably U. fulva(B59.13.02, p. 63).
Presumably P. tenuicaulis (B59.02.03, p. 90).
Presumably C. gregorii (B59.02.03, p. 71).
printed version hasCalycothrix. Presumably C. arborescens(B59.13.02, p. 42).
Presumably A. intratropica (B59.02.03, p. 83).
Presumably P. subcrenulatus (B59.04.04, p. 108).
Presumably G. stenophyllum (B62.05.01, p. 30).
Possibly Xanthostemonor Homalocalyx (B57.13.01, p. 17; B57.13.04, p. 309).
Paryphantha?
Thryptomene?
Presumably T. dissitiflorum (B64.02.01, p. 89).
Presumably S. brachycarpa (B78.11.04, p. 32).
Crucifereous in printed version.
Presumably H. grammutocarpa (B61.02.02, p. 128).
Possibly Dicarpidium or Argyrodendron (B57.13.04, p. 302; B58.03.01, p. 2).
Kerandrenia anodonta was invalidly published in the printed version of this letter (B57.13.02). See APNI.
Possibly including Solanum carduiforme, S. corifolium, S. elachophyllum, S. leptophyllum, S. nemophilum, S. quadriloculatum (B61.05.02, pp. 161-6).
Presumably C. spergularina (B59.09.03, p. 175).
printed version hasbracteatus.
Possibly Leichhardt (1847) p. 187.
Burdikin appears here and elsewhere in the printed version.
Parinarium nondawas described in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 2, p. 426, from specimens collected by Leichhardt and by M. Leichhardt (1847) p. 315 describes the tree as 'a middle sized shady wide spreading tree, resembling the elm in the colour and form of its leaves. … Its younger branches were rather drooping, its fruit was an oblong yellow plumb, an inch long and half an inch in diameter, with a rather rough kernel. When ripe, the pericarp is very mealy and agreeable to eat, and would be wholesome, if it were not so extraordinarily astringent.'
(the broad-leaved ...Leichhardt) is a footnote in the MS and printed versions with its position in the text indicated by *.
printed version hasMelaleucadendron.
Presumably P. sanguinea (B59.02.03, p. 84).
Presumably including D. lanceolata, D. oxyptera, D. physocarpa and D. platyptera (B59.02.03, pp. 73-4).
Presumably including B. leichhardtii (B59.13.02, p. 50).
Presumably either B. artemisifolia or B. lanceolata (B59.02.03, p. 66).
Presumably either G. dimidiata (B63.03.01, p. 146) or G. longiloba (B59.04.04, p. 136).
printed version has large, flowering.
Leichhardt (1847): discovery and naming of the Burdekin, p. 197; Calabashes, p. 199.
printed version has undulating.
printed version has circinata.
Presumably P. nesophila (B61.02.02, p. 135).
Possibly including C. coprosmoides, C. microphyllum, or C vacciniifolium (B59.13.02, p. 47; B61.02.02, p. 134).
Possibly G. edulis, G. ocreata, or G. resinosa (B58.07.01, pp. 54-5).
Presumably Disemma brachystephanea (B58.07.01, p. 56).
Plectranthus caryophyllatus not in IPNI.
?Capparis.
Presumably V. macrostachya (B58.07.01, p. 60).
Presumably including Cissus opaca (B59.13.01, p. 23).
Eucalyptus populifolia?
printed version has first time.
printed version of this letter hasMeisneria.
printed version has Brisbane and Bruck, thence.
W. grandifolia was published in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 5, p. 128 from M's collections from this expedition.
Presumably H. barbarta (B59.13.01, p. 23).
Presumably P. australasicus (B58.07.01, p. 62).
No printed reference to any such remark by William McLeay has been found.
editorial addition — obscured by binding. All square brackets in this and the following paragraph have this meaning.
That is, the Purslane, a common name for a number of species of Portulacaceae.
Campaspe River, Victoria? Although there is a Campaspe River in Queensland, south of Charters Towers, Walter Hill had been an unsuccessful gold prospector in Victoria before moving to Queensland. (Gibbney and Smith [1987]).
Presumably C. moorei (B59.09.03, p. 162).
Presumably G. hilliana(B58.13.02, p. 72).
Presumably S. acacioides (B59.04.04, p. 135).
Herpestis peplidifolia not in IPNI.
Presumably T. mollis (B58.07.01, p. 59).
Possibly P. eucalyptophylla (B61.05.02, p. 159) or P. ventricosa (B58.13.02, p. 71).
Hooker & Thomson (1855).
Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. The 'reprints' probably include B55.13.12; see Seberg (1986).
MS text overwritten, final numeral is either 2 or 3.
illegible— obscured by binding. This letter goes … also native &c […] is ommitted in the printed version.
The comments have not been identified.
editorial addition— obscured by binding.
The remainder of the letter is omitted from the printed version.
Henry Barkly.
editorial addition— obscured by binding.
Others did defend Governor Hotham. See, for example, the letter signed ‘Veritas’, Argus, 23 July 1855, p. 6.

Bentham (1853) in his account of M's acacia specimens, cited M's herbarium names in synonymy. For example, in the entry for Acacia pycnantha (p. 617) which Bentham had described in 1842, he cites M as a collector, and then includes the comment '(A. melanoxylon F. Müll. non Br)' signifying that the specimens had been named Acacia melanoxylon by Mueller, but this was not the species previously described under that name by Robert Brown; readers would infer that M either was unaware of both Bentham's and Brown's publications or was unable to discriminate between the species named by Brown and by Bentham.

W. Hooker commented to W. Harvey, May 17 1857 (RBG Kew, Archives, W. Hooker's letters to W. Harvey 1832-60, f. 298): 'I have long letters [from] Mueller & some highly interesting; but entre nous he grumbles awfully at Bentham's views of Acacia &c, so different from him & somewhat at Joe for certain changes in his Tasmanian &c species. In short, we don't see with other peoples eyes. Sonder is quite out of favour.'

Please cite as “FVM-57-01-11,” 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 28 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/57-01-11