To William Hooker   6 March 1857

Sydney bot. gardens 6. March 57.

My dear Sir William,

Since the last weeks engaged in putting the botanical specimens into order, which were obtained during the latter part of the North Australian expedition, I have been able to fill a box with about 1000 specimens, comprising nearly 250 species, which will be brought to you by my friend Mr Elsey, the surgeon and naturalist of the expedition. He leaves with in a few days in the "Alnwick-Castle" and I send this letter by the mail, to apprize you of his arrival. I have copied somewhat more than that part of the manuscripts, which relates to the now transmitted plants (Thalamiflorae & part of Calyciflorae). This set of papers will also be delivered by Mr Elsey, and in a month or two an other set of manuscripts and specimens will follow.¹

I regretted, when I commenced arranging the collection, that the schooner "Messenger" on board of which my principle bot. treasures are, had not arrived, as having the whole of the specimens at once under hand would have simplified so much the work. Since then I have anxiously been expecting the schooners arrival, and from day to day our fears are increasing that some great calamity might have befallen those on board of her. The "Messenger" left Java in the beginning of September in order to meet us at the Gulf of Carpentaria (Albert River) and no tidings of her have reached since that period any place in the South Altho' she is known to be a slow vessel and altho' she had to contend with the N.W. monsoon on her homevoyage, yet we can not banish our fears for her safety and the lives of our friends in her, as moreover the passage through Torres straight is such a dangerous one. Might we soon be relieved of our fears!

In my last letters I have given you a brief account of the results particularly the botanical results of our exploration, explaining at the same time the reasons of my postponing the homejourney, of which I anticipated such delight and advantage. These letters,² both forwarded from Melbourne, no doubt will have arrived in due time. I have also answered your letters of 1855 on those occasions, and am now only receiving my bot. information[s] for a while through your journal³ alone. But is it not gratifying, that by the accelerated and shortened steam communication with Europe your antipodes are enabled to peruse your instructive periodicals and writing in less than two months after their appearance? — Through Dr George Bennett, in whom I have found a very kind man of high scientific accomplishments, I received already a week ago the complete vol. of your journal of last year,⁴ and can thus now already thankfully acknowledge all your manifestations of favour to me. I am particularly obliged for your good opinion of my services in North Australia, but feel sure your kindness has overrated them by far — most thankfully, I receive[d] also your valuable information upon some of my former plants; and was much pleased with the fine figures of Duttonia and Adreaea.⁵ I owe my thanks also to Mr Mitten for reviewing my mosses from the Alps, and venture to hope, that your great mycologist in England will place me under similar obligations, altho' the continuance of such important collections as Mr Spruce's must as a matter of course throw the fungi of my collection into the background, altho I should have been glad to hear at least Mr Berkeleys opinion about that curious plant, which look's more like a piece of an old brush than any thing else. It was only once found on Eucalyptus trees near Adelaide. In Mr Berkeleys department I have as the results of this expedition actually nothing to offer, and the number of mosses and other cryptogamics was equally scarce in North Australia; still Mr Mitten might perhaps be able to find good contributions yet amongst what I collected on the East Coast, and I have not yet made use of my privilege of keeping a specimen of these plants, in order to furnish the best material. From a kind letter⁶ of Prof. Alex Braun I learn, that he continues unceasingly to augment our knowledge of Charae and allied orders, and altho' the specimens of these brittle plants have suffered much by friction and pressure, still I think half a dozen sp. of Chara are determinable and it would be interesting to learn whether they differ from Indian and extratrop. Australia Species. I am sorry to add that with a heat of more than 120ºF at times, to which the collections were exposed and with the want of consideration on the side of the horses with regard to their valuable burden, many of my specimens have suffered frightfully, particularly such brittle kinds as Eucalyptus, Loranthus, Capparis &c, of which I was obliged in many instances to place the remaining fragments into paper capsules now. Let me however, Sir William, state, that you received always the whole of the specimens of every rare kind, nothing of many sp. having been retained at all, or that I satisfied myself with a solitary leaf and flower or fruit in many cases. Indeed since I have been able to derive the requisite information on almost all the plants collected, there is very little desire on my side to augment my private herbarium, the plants being so much more worth at Kew than in Australia. All my wishes are concentrated upon the point, to discharge my duties faithfully and to the satisfaction of the Government. Since I had written the first part of this letter I have placed all the Cryptogamiae into order and have added more Calyciflorae to the lot packed up, so that at least 1200 specimens will be forwarded this time, including also all the duplicates of a collection presented to me by Mr Hill of Brisbane, the exact number of species being 304.

In Mr Bennetts precious library I enjoyed for the first time the view of your magnificent port-feuille of Victoria Regia,⁷ and of the last volumes of bot. Magazine⁸ Those gorgeous plates of Cathcart⁹ and Dr Hooker¹⁰ excited also my admiration, and indeed your son stands unsurpassed as an ardent and successful and productive labourer in the field of bot science.¹¹

The mail is soon closing, and having just finished copying the descriptions corresponding to the now transmitted plants, I beg to summon up their principle contents. 160 for the greater part unknown plants are in the transmitted pages fully described chiefly from living specimens and the characters of 16 new genera are given. Unless specimens and notes on board of the "Messenger" are lost, this will comprise only ¼ of my writings at least with regard to species.

Menispermeae comprise 2 sp. of Cocculus and 1 of Stephania, which with a fourth sp. of Moreton Bay and the Snowy River Cocculus advances the order to 5 sp. in Australia, none being previously described in this country unless by recent labours of Miers to which I have no access.¹² —

Nymphaeaceae. Seem to be reduced to two species in Australia, common throughout the tropics but little beyond. I stated erroneously to have seen Nymphaea coerulea,¹³ for both belong to the section Lotus, one being unquestionably your N. gigantea, altho' I never observed flowers of such a diameter as Mr Bidwill described.¹⁴ The other I have failed to identify with any Indian species. Had I not seen the manyfold varieties of these two kinds, I might have been induced to pronounce the occurrence of half a dozend sp. here Color of petals is no character here of these plants whatsoever.

Nelumbieae. The notes from fresh specimens will I think prove the identity of our with the Pythagorean plant.¹⁵

Capparideae. Of Capparis four kinds were noticed besides Sir Thomas Mitchells discoveries, one forming a noble tree at Moreton Bay. Cap. lasiantha (the epidendric Capparis of Leichhardt) and C. umbonata extend as far as the Victoria River.

Rutaceae. Two species of Boronia in North West Australia are remarkable for having much larger sepals than petals, one with pinnate grey leaves resembles Artemisias from the distance, which suggests the appellation B. artemisioides.¹⁶ 3 other species were noticed, including B. bipinnata Ldl. Of Zieria a new kind with extremely minute flowers and the habit almost of a Xanthosia occurs on the Glasshouse-Mountains, and I revealed also a singular granulated narrow-leaved sp from Sir Thomas Mitchells collection, not appended to his work.

Cedreleae. In the Brigalow Scrubs of East Australia a new genus of this order forms a constant companion of Eremophila Mitchelli. The capsule altho' not seen in perfect maturity seems to remain coriaceous; the placental laminas are two-seeded on each side, and the seeds all around winged, thus tending to disrupt the limits between Flindersia and Oxleya, and I should notwithstanding the want of woody structure of the capsule have united the three genera, were the flowers of Oxleya known, and did not this new genus, now celebrating the fame of a third Australian explorer, Count Strzelecky,¹⁷ distinguish itself habitually by opposite small leaves and a foliaceous rachis of the leaflets.

Aurantiaceae, a very small order in Australia, becomes augmented by a well marked Glycosmis¹⁸ from from the Burdekin.¹⁹

Hippocrateae, seemed to be unknown from this part of the globe. A species of Hippocratea allied to H. obtusifolia with bearded flowers occurs on the banks of the Brisbane.²⁰

In Polygaleae a new sp. of Comesperma with spreading leaves (C. patentifolium) was noticed in E. Australia be sides C. silvestre Ldl. & C. limarifolium A. Cunn. Polygala occurs in four sp. in the North.²¹ Salomonia, noticed by R. Br., was not observed during Mr. Gregorys expedition.

Erythroxyleae have a solitary but very common representant in E Australia, no doubt the plant mentioned by Prof. Lindley in his valuable "Vegetable Kingdom"²²

Of Pittosporeae I obtained two new genera in E. Australia²³ besides a new Pittosporum from Arnheim's land,²⁴ besides some additions to the latter genus from Central Australia contained in the not yet arrived division of the collection.

Amongst Olacineae we met the strange [face] of a Ximenia, allied to the New Caledonian X. elliptica.²⁵

Ampelideae comprise only the genus Cissus, but this in seven well marked sp.,²⁶ whereas I find only Cissus Baudiniana Brouss. (very improperly called C. antarctica by Vent.) enumerated amongst Australian plants by previous writers. A not climbing herbaceous sp. from the Victoria River (C. acida) proved useful as an antiscorbutic vegetable.

Sapindaceae exhibit some of the finest trees in E. Australia That Section of Nephelium separated by Prof. Blume as Arytera contains 4 very distinct spec.²⁷ Atalaya seems also to occur. Heterodendron very properly referred to this order by Dr Planchon, differs scarcely from Arytera except in simple leaves and apetalous flowers if not in structure of the embryo (the fruit not being found in sufficient maturity for examination); a species with toothed leaves (Heterodendron diversifolium) has been added from the Brigalow Scrubs of E. Australia. —

Distichostemon & Apophyllum form remarkable genera of this group, both producing indefinite stamens; the former allied to Dodonaea with foliaceous wings to the capsule, the latter a quickly defoliated bushy tree resembling a Hakea with polygamous flowers, a often two-seeded indehisant fruit with circinnate embryo. Dodonaea filifolia (of which however no authentic specimens have been seen) I reduced to D. acerosa Ldl. and D. mollis and triangularis have been united as D. Lindleyana. D. physocarpa is remarkable for inflated generally 6-winged seedvessels and D. polyzyga²⁸ singular for numerous pairs of leaflets. The latter surpasses even your D. vestita which we never found, in beauty, but both as well as several other kinds from N. W. Australia are wanting in this part of the collection. Dod. platyptera differs from D. Preissiana in very broad upwards truncated wings and D. Oxyptera, like D. Physocarpa a pinnate leaved sp., is distinct from the rest in acute wings.

The Meliaceae I may perhaps consider as the most interesting part of my collection, since the order seemed formerly to be so scantily developed in Australia, and since it introduces some entirely new features into the family. For remarkable appeared to me a genus of the trichileous section with drupaceous fruit, to which I have no doubt the Fusanus with pinnate leaves spoken of by the unfortunate Leichhardt must be referred.²⁹ Four sp. are described in the now transmitted pages,³⁰ a fifth (sp.vernicosa) is common on the Sandstone table land of the Victoria River, and I think a sixth sp. occurs in Central Australia in the desert scrub. This³¹ genus after having been confirmed by you I ardently wished, as one of the finest resulted from this expedition, to dedicate to Prof. Owen, faint as this token may be of my veneration for the illustrious zoologist. In an other genus with long unilaterally slit columna allied to Quirisia³² and Turraea I wished to acknowledge the contribution of many botanical specimens to the collection by our amiable travelling-companion Mr J. R. Elsey, the surgeon and zoologist of the expedition.³³ — Notable in this order is also a very marked Hartighsea, next to H. excelsa, obtained in a conjoined trip with Mr Hill to the upper parts of the Brisbane River, whose name I wished it to bear³⁴ and a second Azadirachta, unfortunately only seen in fruit, which however so far exactly agrees in generic characters with the Indian prototype. Melia Azedarach, or if you like M. Australis Sweet (M. Australasica Juss) is scattered through out the tropics. —

Reviewing Sterculiaceae I find that Sterculia quadrifida R. Br. occurs in Arnheim's Land and eastern subtrop. Australia, that Brachychiton diversifolium is restricted to North & North West Australia where B. populneum not occurs, that B. platanoides R. Br. ranges from E. subtropical Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria, whilst B. ramiflorum R. Br. is common through the tropical zone. Sterculia foetida enumerated by R. Br. in his excellent paper in Horsf. & Benn pl. rar jav.³⁵ as inhabiting N. Austr. has not been seen by us, nor Brachychiton incanum found on the N. shore, unless a plant, which I ventured to describe as B. discolor upon rather insufficient material, a forest tree of the Richmond and Clarence Rivers (N. S. Wales), should prove identical with it, which can not be decided with out consulting Cunningham's herbarium. I send you also a diagnosis of the Flametree of Illawarra (Brachychiton acerifolium Sterculia acerifolia A.C. in Loud hort. Brit. p. 392)³⁶ of B. luridus C.Moore and B. pubescens C. Moore, all three not contained in R. Br. monograph. If the direction of the radicula is at all of any value in the distinction of Sterculiaceous genera than I can not agree with the illustrious Brown in referring Delabechea to Brachychiton (conf. app. to Sturts Central Austr II p. 66)³⁷ but leave it intact according to Prof. Lindley between Brachychiton and Sterculia. This tree I may mention varies with digitate leaves, which indeed seem to be the typical ones and simple leaves; nor does it but in very rare instances assume that degree of turgidity of its stem, which the woodcut in Mitchell's trop. Austr³⁸ represents. Brachychiton populneum may occasionally when growing out of the fissures of granite rocks be seen assuming the same extraordinar form. — Yet Delabechea is always perceptibly contracted at the bottom and summit of its stem, more so than other Sterculiae with which I am acquainted.

I can not conclude this review of Australian Sterculiaceae without alluding to a species of Brachychiton (if not Delabechea) originally discovered by Mr A. C. Gregory in his exploration of the Northern parts of West Australia. He found the tree as early as 1848 on the Murchison River when discovering the Yaraldine Lead Mine. It attracted his attention as being the only deciduous tree of West Australia, and fruit specimens were at the time communicated to Mr Drummond. According to Mr Gregory's information, whose name ought in justice to be attached to this species,³⁹ it forms a tree 10-20' high with slightly rough bark, palmate thin beyond the middle five-cleft leaves, which are shining above, glabrous and about 4" long, lobes acute; leafstalk about 2" long Flowers small greenish yellow in bunches Follicles sometimes as many as 30 or 40 conjoined 2" long outside smooth twice as long as their stalk, thinly coreaceous like in Delabechea. Seeds 12-15 smaller than in Mitchells Bottle-tree imbedded in the follicle and scarcely hairy. The stem is cylindrical; the branches are narled and form a hemispherical head. — It is the only Western Australian Sterculeaceous tree.⁴⁰

Buettneriaceae of the latter part of the expedition contain only a new pink flowering genus allied to Waltheria characterized principally by monoecious flowers and a fruit consisting of two carpells (hence Dicarpidium monoicum) it is rare enough on the Sandstone table-land of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The beautiful genus Cochlospermum becomes increased by a tree of much greater dimension than Cochlospermum heteronemum (C. Frazeri?) of the Victoria River, producing digitate leaves. It is very distinct from Cochlosp. Gossyp. according to the figure in your Miscellany.⁴¹

The greater part of the Hibisci of this expedition belongs to the section Ketmia, to which I am obliged to refer also the Australian Fugosia noted in Sir Th. Mitchells last work p. 387;⁴² altho' we may possess the genus perhaps in Hibiscus Huegelii Endl from W. Austr. Hibiscus trionum is very common on basaltic plains in the interior. The 8 sp. of this collection⁴³ are all carefully described from a suite of living specimens, form and color of petals, the columna, the disposition of the filaments etc affording as many beautiful characters for the distinction of the numerous sp. of this genus, but all these marks are generally lost in drying the plants. One may be transferred, when fruit will be obtained to Abelmoschus,⁴⁴ altho' very distinct from Ab. albo-ruber, which extends as far as Peak Range. But Hibiscus splendens belonging to the section Ketmia can never be removed from the genus, as done by various writers. I send the description of 8 Sidae⁴⁵ and Abutilons,⁴⁶ and have to add to the number of these and of Hibiscus as soon as I receive my other notes. The rest of of Thalamiflorae shows little of interest, perhaps Byblis coerulea⁴⁷ excepted. —

Myrtaceae form, I think, the most important part of my herbarium. After watching the Eucalypti of tropical Australia day after day for nearly 16 months I can confidently hope that in my interpretation of the species I have not much aberred from the truth and that the two new systems of these trees which I beg to recommend to your farther consideration are based upon sound principles. You will observe that I have of 34 species given the characteristic of the bark and of the greater part a full (of all some)⁴⁸ diagnosis; in several cases additional information will be gained from my other notes, and the species will from the unarrived collection be increased to about 40. Of these are only two fruticose and a considerable number produces opposite leaves. In the colonies of Victoria & South Australia in the contrary scarcely a single one belongs to opposite leaved sp. whilst numerous kinds are not growing beyond the size of shrubs. — For the use of the colonists the bark will always afford the best mark of distinction — trees at times may be distinguished of various kind, so far as it is necessary for a traveller or the practical use of the settler in telescopical distances. Nor can the monographer of these plants dispense with the knowledge of those characters, which I pointed out in my cortical system, and as proof of this I may state, that I should from herbarium spricks alone unhesitatingly pronounce the silver leaved Ironbark, the silver leaved Box Tree and one of the Bathurst Stringybark Trees as identical! or rather as insignificant varieties of the same species; and yet nothing can be more striking than the difference in texture and structure of the bark of these three species, characters which of course do not admit of vacillations. This is however not the place to enter upon my investigations of these interesting trees, on which I hope to throw more light in a separate memoir.⁴⁹ But you will observe that the 5 sections Leiophloiae, Hemiphloiae, Rhytiphloiae, Pachyphloiae, Schizophloiae⁵⁰ exhibit trees, which as Flooded Gum trees, as Ironbark trees, Stringybark-trees &c belong to so many respective sections, and that the trees as such are familiar to the colonists. Thus for instance at least 6 Stringybark trees exist very distinct as species, which however always will pass under this collective name by the settlers. The sixth section, "Lepidophloiae" is quite a botanical novelty. It includes those Eucalypti which technically I would call Mica trees, remarkable for a lamellar brittle bark much resembling mica schist! The Melaleuca Gum tree of Leichhardt and Euc. Melissiodora of Ldl. belong to this group.⁵¹ The appliance of a cortical system for the determination of herbarium species being generally impracticable, I have added a clavis, in which I employed for the above mentioned sp., after having them divided into sections somewhat similar to those of former botanists, an arrangement according to the insertion of the valves of the capsule, a character which I found by far more constant than the relative lenght of operculum & Tube of the calyx. Of the 34 sp. of this collection I have only identified 5 as known with certainty, and only one (E. rostrata) or perhaps 2 more, as inhabitants of South Australia and Victoria Should you, Sir William, attach the same importance to this part of my labours, with which I unproperly perhaps regarded it, I should be very glad indeed to see those species soon appear before the bot. public, which a comparison with your collections will confirm. R. Br. kindfully permitted me to transmit for the Linn. Soc. transactions, and perhaps this contribution would not be quite unworthy of the annals of such a distinguished body of Naturalists.⁵² The rest of Myrtaceae, containing diagnoses of 3 n. genera⁵³ & 24 species⁵⁴ is neither devoid of interest. 4 Calycothrix sp. (In the collection already packed at the time of writing these pages I employed two specific names identical with Meisner's of W. Australia lately introduced; in the msc. I have altered these) one of these arborescent, an other passing nearly into Lhotzkya. Homalocalyx is a new genus intermediate between Tryptomene & Paryphanta established upon a very local plant. Of the former (Tryptomene) a pentandrous sp. was observed in E. Trop. Austr.⁵⁵ Of Harmogia I have 2 additional;⁵⁶ — and it is singular that I should have fallen into the same error with H. virgata, after I had years ago in transmitted msc. referred the Camphoromyrtus Behrii Schl.⁵⁷ to Harmogia affinis Schauer. However the two genera do not differ but slightly in their structure of anthers. Astartea 1 sp.⁵⁸ characterized by the absence of a true pedicel. Callistemon requires a new disquisition.⁵⁹ My Callistemon arborescens mentioned in 1852 in the Linnaea is C. brachyandrus Ldl a plant at the time unknown to me. Amongst Mitchells plants I notice a gorgeous sp. which seems to be very distinct by nearly persistent bracts. It is the robustest of all and I send notes on it and two others.⁶⁰ Melaleuca contains this time only two new kinds, both referrable to Asteromyrtus, if this genus should be kept.⁶¹ To Trystania⁶² I reduce again Lophostemon and Syncarpia. The Angophorae are as well marked in decortication as in structure and texture of bark as Eucalypti, and I have thus been compelled to increase the sp. to 6.⁶³ Eugenia received three additions at least to Australian sp., one being a charming tree with rich umbells.⁶⁴ An other fine timber tree, Lysicarpus, is already from Metrosideros and Pericalymma generically distinct in dimorphous anthers. Those of the outer series being sterile and the largest; the cells of the capsule seem always 1 seeded with a wing round the seed. The leaves are ternate and linear. An other new genus Lithomyrtus msc.) differs from Psidium in a dry berry and a circinnate embryo.⁶⁵ A undescribed Disemma differs from the rest in 5-not 10-cleft calyx and in the extremely short corona. It is a rare climber of the Burdekin-banks.⁶⁶

Amongst Cucurbitaceae, which I fortunately have been able to examine in a recent state I established a new genus, Cucurbitella, seemingly next to Sicydium,⁶⁷ added a Luffa, from which the Victoria River species differs in forming 5 sacculate protrusions at the base of the calyx and in prickly-tuberculed fruits, — 2 Trichosanthus sp., none of that disagreable odour which markes the otherwise splendid sp. from N. W. Australia, and Bryonia laciniosa? or a[n]⁶⁸ allied sp., but not B. affinis Endl, from Norfolk Island — so that we are now acquainted with 12 sp. of this order from Australia. None are found in West Australia.

Rosaceae do not exist beyond the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia. But on the East coast I have obtained through Mr Moore⁶⁹ a Rubus dioecious like R. Australis, from which it differs principly in ovate bracts and stamens shorter than the calyx; and a second unknown kind discovered by Mr Hill closely allied to R. Lambertianus.⁷⁰ — Of Bauera nothing exists in the North, but I reexamined such materials as the public collection of Sydney afforded me and feel inclined to retain B. microphylla Sieb & B. capitata Ser. as distinct from B rubioides. I believe also that B. Billardierii must be confirmed as a sp. but had not a single specimen at hand for comparison, the sp. being seemingly restricted to Tasmania and Victoria. But altho' the distinctions drawn between these four sp. (in this instance principly upon the form of the anthers) admit of doubt, still there can be only one opinion on the stability of the characters of B sessiliflora as pointed out in the Vict. phil. transact.⁷¹ Indeed it is with scruples that I retain this plant in the genus at all, since the ovary is totally enclosed in the tube of the calyx one-celled biovulate with pendulous ovules one only fertilized and I have little doubt that the caspule which I have not seen ripe, will dehisc only unilaterally, since there is only on one side a sutura in the ovary. Thus Bauera sessiliflora brings its genus into close contact with Ceratopetalum. Bauera sessiliflora is the most western sp of the genus (not a single Cunoniaceous plant existing to my knowledge in South Australia and except Eremosyne in West Australia) is farther limited to one single system of mountains and no doubt hardy in England as it grows on the subalpine summit of Mount William in great luxuriance, and I have been always proud of this new commemoration of the memory of the two Bauers, so that I hope, Sir William, you will oblige me in giving publicity to that portion of my msc. (send this time) in order to restore it to its honor again.

The fine Carallia tree⁷² seems to be well marked from Indian sp. and is the only new contribution to Rhizophoreae gained by this expedition, being also seemingly very rare. That Ceriops Bruguiera & Rhizophora occur I have mentioned previously.⁷³

On Compositae I commenced only to work but transmit now a paper on two new genera allied to Pluchea.⁷⁴

Umbelliferae become gradually a stout order in this part of the world, particularly if we adnumerate Dr Hookers interesting contributions from Tasmania. The North Australian expedition has yielded the remarkable genus Hemicarpus with 3 sp, the teeths of the obliterated mericarp of H. glandulosus being much shorter than in the two other sp. which requires a slight modification of my first outline of the genus, altho otherwise not infringed but rather confirmed by the third sp.⁷⁵ Didiscus takes its place at Moreton Bay, where a sixt[h] sp. (D. procumbens) occurs. But an other new genus has been obtained, of which you find a description as Platycarpidium. It is a tall bush often 12' high, with polygamous flowers nearest related to Platysace. Only one of the 6 trop. or subtrop. sp. of Hydrocotyle seems unknown. The gigantic herb of this order seen by Cunningham we have not met with.

If you can find, Sir William, an empty corner in your journal for the magnificent new Panax from Moreton Bay, which on account of not umbellate inflorescence is very singular, I think this plant will well deserve the place. I call it P. polybotryus and it flowerishes⁷⁶ in the greatest profusion in the Sydney Garden. I saw it myself in the wilderness, but not the Panax? allied to P arborescens & P. Colensoi found by Mr Moore at Wide Bay. Could the latter be Leichhardts Sciadophyllum?

Of Leguminosae I send this time only the two descriptions which establish the new genera Brewsteria⁷⁷ and Plagiotropis. The former is distinct from Cassia in producing in the middle of the lower stamens a large globular nodus and in lower anthers not only opening half lenghtwise but also with a large basal foramen. This is one of the most charming trees I ever beheld and well worth to bear the name of the great and venerable natural philospher, Sir David Brewster, who as calling forth the now so flowerishing British association for advancement of science has such a high and yet unacknowledged claim upon botanical science, and I feel proud that it has fallen to my share to add a flower to the crown of the merits of this great and noble Maecen.⁷⁸

Plagiotropis receds principly from Vigna in the paradox structure of its carina, which is repressed laterally, that side which thus becomes the front of it protruding into a long hollow cone!⁷⁹ Specimens will come in the next sending, but I add to this parcel a specimen of Brewsteria for kind inspection of yourself Dr Hooker or Mr Bentham.⁸⁰

In the last meeting of the Melb. philos. Institute a paper has been read on the genus Octoclinis (O. Macleayana) established upon a noble pine tree from Macquarie Harbour N.S.W. discovered by Mr W. Macleay.⁸¹ It is the only plant of the order except some Ephedras, which I believe produced quaternate leaves and differs besides from Frenela principly in an [achamerous] fruit. If you find the latin description which is yet an original, acceptable, I am happy to add it.

The box with specimens is gone on board to day. I shall label to morrow the few seeds, add as much as I can to these descriptions and forward all with the three charts of our routes through Mr Elsey.

In conclusion I beg yet to repeat that Orites lancifolia, through thousand of bushes of which I travelled for days never assumes divided leaves in the Australian Highland. How I have to distinguish Tripetalea⁸² from Sambucus I am quite perplexed; DC⁸³ considers the herbaceous species S. Gaudichaudiana which also generally produces 3 petalous flowers as a true Sambucus and both have as succulent berries as the rest. I have to thank you for shifting⁸⁴ Daviesia egena in my behalf so generously to Bossiaea.⁸⁵ The plant has become yet more interesting to me since I saw it with Cyclotheca on Sturts Creek in Central Australia. I did not regard the cohaerance of its stamens as objectionable to its place in Daviesia since Prof. Meisner pointed two similar instances out on West Austr. sp. I think I have to transfer my Galium geminifolium of phil. transact. to Asperula, hav[ing] seen it lately beautifully in flower.⁸⁶ Velleya pandurifolia I presume described in de Vriese's new work.⁸⁷ You omitted the new sectional character (Aceratia) in your reprint.⁸⁸ Cyphanthera I find nowhere mentioned in my books. Of Myosurus exist two very distinct varieties, perhaps I forwarded only one form.

I am very anxious to learn what the excellent Prof. Harvey thinks of my phycological collection from the corall reafs of Albany Island The Caulerpas and mesogloia seem to me interesting.⁸⁹

I hope, my dear Sir William, you will pardon this hasty scribbling, it is finished at four at night.

Remember me, please, to Dr Hooker, Dr Harvey and Mr Bentham and let me soon learn that you are well.

Yours ever obliged and

devoted

Ferd. Mueller

Sir W. Hooker, K.H. &c &c &c

Is Mniarum singlifolium not be found in Tasmania?⁹⁰

R. Br. wishes that such plants which were intended for the Linn. transact should not be published elsewhere. This will of course on my side be complied with⁹¹

Abelmoschus albo-ruber

Abutilon

Aceratia

Adreaea

Ampelideae

Angophora

Apophyllum

Artemisia

Arytera

Asperula

Astartea

Asteromyrtus

Atalaya

Aurantiaceae

Azadirachta

Baudiniana

Bauera Billardierii

Bauera capitata

Bauera microphylla

Bauera rubioides

Bauera sessiliflora

Boronia artemisioides

Boronia bipinnata

Bossiaea

Brachychiton acerifolium

Brachychiton discolor

Brachychiton diversifolium

Brachychiton incanum

Brachychiton luridus

Brachychiton platanoides

Brachychiton populneum

Brachychiton pubescens

Brachychiton ramiflorum

Brewsteria

Bryonia affinis

Bryonia laciniosa

Buettneriaceae

Byblis coerulea

Callistemon arborescens

Callistemon brachyandrus

Calyciflorae

Calycothrix

Camphoromyrtus Behrii

Capparideae

Capparis

Capparis lasiantha

Capparis umbonata

Carallia

Cassia

Caulerpa

Cedreleae

Ceratopetalum

Ceriops Bruguiera

Chara

Cissus acida

Cissus antarctica

Cocculus

Cochlospermum Frazeri

Cochlospermum Gossypium

Cochlospermum heteronemum

Comesperma limarifolium

Comesperma patentifolium

Comesperma Silvestre

Compositae

Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbitella

Cyclotheca

Cyphanthera

Daviesia egena

Delabechea

Dicarpidium monoicum

Didiscus procumbens

Disemma

Distichostemon

Dodonaea acerosa

Dodonaea filifolia

Dodonaea Lindleyana

Dodonaea mollis

Dodonaea Oxyptera

Dodonaea physocarpa

Dodonaea platyptera

Dodonaea polyzyga

Dodonaea Preissiana

Dodonaea triangularis

Dodonaea vestita

Duttonia

Ephedra

Eremophila Mitchelli

Eremosyne

Erythroxyleae

Eucalyptus Melissiodora

Eucalyptus rostrata

Eugenia

Flindersia

Frenela

Fugosia

Fusanus vernicosa

Galium geminifolium

Glycosmis

Hakea

Harmogia affinis

Harmogia virgata

Hartighsea excelsa

Hemicarpus glandulosus

Hemiphloiae

Heterodendron

Heterodendron diversifolium

Hibiscus

Hibiscus Huegelii

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus trionum

Hippocratea obtusifolia

Hippocrateae

Homalocalyx

Hydrocotyle

Ketmia

Leguminosae

Leiophloiae

Lepidophloiae

Lhotzkya

Lithomyrtus

Lophostemon

Loranthus

Luffa

Lysicarpus

Melaleuca

Melaleuca

Melia Australasica

Melia Australis

Melia Azedarach

Meliaceae

Menispermeae

Mesogloia

Metrosideros

Mniarum singlifolium

Myosurus

Myrtaceae

Nelumbieae

Nephelium

Nymphaea gigantea

Nymphaeaceae

Octoclinis Macleayana

Olacineae

Orites lancifolia

Oxleya

Pachyphloiae

Panax arborescens

Panax Colensoi

Panax polybotryus

Paryphanta

Pericalymma

Pittosporeae

Pittosporum

Plagiotropis

Plagiotropis

Platycarpidium

Platysace

Pluchea.

Polygaleae

Psidium

Quirisia

Rhizophora

Rhizophoreae

Rhytiphloiae

Rosaceae

Rubus Australis

Rubus Lambertianus

Rutaceae

Salomonia

Sambucus Gaudichaudiana

Sapindaceae

Schizophloiae

Sciadophyllum

Sicydium

Sida

Stephania

Sterculia acerifolia

Sterculia foetida

Sterculia quadrifida

Sterculiaceae

Syncarpia

Thalamiflorae

Trichosanthus

Tripetalea

Tryptomene

Trystania

Turraea

Umbelliferae

Velleya pandurifolia

Victoria Regia

Vigna

Waltheria

Xanthosia

Ximenia elliptica

Zieria