To William Hooker   11 June 1857

Melbourne, bot. garden, 11. June 1857

My dear Sir William

Only yesterday I had the pleasure of recieving your kind letters dated Febr. 2. and Jan 4. 1856, both having missed us when forwarded by the "Torch" to North Australia; they remained then for a while in Singapore and came at last together with a number of your very acceptable journal-pages through Mr Gregory into my hands. I was particularly pleased with the fine plates, and forward now the Duttonia¹ to my friend the South-Australian Senator.²

Having recieved two days ago de Vriese's Goodenovieae, I will endeavour to write a supplement to it by this mail, which Prof de Vriese would likely accept for his journal.³

In answer to your query about the plate opposite to p. 316 in Capt. Stokes work,⁴ I beg to say, that we observed neither Kingia nor Xanthorrhoea anywhere about the Gulf of Carpentaria, but Cabbage palms and Screw-pines on many places.

I am delighted, Sir William, about your resolution of bringing the more interesting plants of North Australia before the botanical public previous to a general work, such as would form hereafter a continuation of the valuable series issued by Dr Hooker, but which of necessity could not be completed before the end of next year.

I shall in the meanwhile employ all my sparetime for the elaboration of the remaining portion of the plants, and hope to finish (si fata velint⁵) under your kind guidance my labours at Kew in 1859, an intention which I expressed already in a former letter.⁶

To the remarks on the new Goodeniaceae containing 19 n. sp chiefly Goodenias I shall have the pleasure this time of adding for transmission an account of several new plants from V.D. Land, and I intend to continue these contributions as gradually the important fascicles of the "Flora Tasmanica" arrive. A few days go I recieved the third of this work, and I am longing very much for the fourth,⁷ which will exhibit the beautiful array of Tasmanian heaths. My own observations bear all the views out of Dr Hooker in regard to the synonymy of the Compositae nearly without exception, Paquerina is in my opinion as a genus identical with Brachycome (hence Brachycome graminea of my report)⁸ The characteristic of Raoulia is not clear to me. Perhaps you are unaware of the existence of a double state of this plant, the one with prevailing sterile flowers, the other with principly female fertile flowers. In the philos. transact. of Melbourne I founded upon this plant the subgenus Actina of Antennaria, and more explicit I have been on this singular plant in manuscripts of 1855.⁹ To the Tasmanian Compositae I add on this occasion two alpine Senecios,¹⁰ the genus Trineuron, in a new scapebearing species,¹¹ to Rosaceae a new Sieversia!,¹² all discovered by the assiduous Stuart on Mount de La Perouse in the cold and wet southwestern portion of Van Diemen's Land; and my next communication will bring more novelties yet from the same quarter. Donatia Novae Zelandiae was also found by Stuart and adds a natural order to the V.D.L. Flora. Mr Wilhelmi, notwithstanding his travelling over nearly the same ground, which I traversed in the beginning of my journey in 1853, has also added several interesting plants to the Victorian flora, vize Drymophila cyanocarpa, Caleana major, Philydrum lanuginosum (an order new to this colony), Lasiopetalum Wilhelmi n.sp., which together with Lasiopetalum micranthum on account of bivalved anther-cells should be transferred to a separate subgenus (Schizanthera)¹³ and he brought also a new genus of Scrophularinae approaching to Anthocercis, with which I desire to celebrate the merits of my amiable and learned friend Dr Rich. Eades, formerly Professor of Medicin in Dublin.¹⁴ Mr Wilhelmi found also flowering specimens of a shrub seen by me only in a barren state, and which proves to be a very marked species of Pseudanthus. (Pseudanthus ovalifolius, elatior, foliis ovalibus rarius oblongis v. subrotundis oppositis confertis[ve] demum laevigatis, sepalis florum masculorum spathulato-linearibus. In vallibus et montibus tractus Grampians. Much taller than the Pseudanthus of Port Jackson, with larger flowers.)¹⁵ and likewise Howittia trilocularis in the Grampians.

From Dr Herman Behr, well known by his former botanical excursions into South-Australia I had lately a communication again.¹⁶ He seems as ardent as ever in employing his spare time with botany, altho' as a medical practitioner he is disabled to extend his herborizations beyond the environs of St Francisco. His list of genera of plants to be gathered formerly in a walk around the city will probably prove of some interest to you, as these plants on such a locality must gradually vanish and I copy it therefore: Equisetum, Azolla, Polypodium, Gymnogramme, Adiantum, Pteris, Woodwardia, Nephrodium, Aspidium, Najas, Lemna, Potamogeton, Triglochin, Alsima, Nuphar, Agrostis, Deyeuxia, Polypogon, Phragmites, Stipa, Avena, Alopecurus, Phleum, Lolium, Elymus, Poa, Koeleria, Carex, Eriophorum, Scirpus, Typha, Sisyrinchium, Iris, Luzula, Juncus, Zygadenus, Uvularia, Trillium, Prosartes, Smilacina, Calochortus, Cyclobothra, Fritillaria, Brodiaea, Triteleia, Bessera, Platanthera, Spiranthes, Epipactis, Neottia, Myrica, Platanus, Salix, Populus, Alnus, Corylus, Quercus, Urtica, Garrya, Aristolochia, Asarum, Abronia, Oreodaphne, Plectritis, Sambucus, Xylosteum, Lonicera, Symphoricarpus, Galium, Madaria, Tollatia, Achillea, Matricaria, [Alarconia], Bahia, Helenium, Lasthenia, Erigeron, Aster, Grindelea, Solidago, Lessingia, Senecio, Cotula, Artemisia, Tanacetum, Gnaphalium, Baccharis, Bidens, Leontodon, Sonchus, Prenanthes, Crepis, Silybum, Carthamus, Franseria, Echinocystis, Carduus, Campanula, Mentha, Isanthus, Monardella, Stachys, Glechoma, Pogogyne, Prunella, Echium, Pulmonaria, Myosotis, Heliotropium, Hydrophyllum, Nemophila, Navaretia,¹⁷ Gilia, Hydrolea, Convolvulus, Calystegia, Triphysaria, Castilleja, Veronica, Linaria, Collinsia, Scrophularia, Mimulus, Diplacus, Anoplanthus, Solanum, Plantago, Armeria, Statice, Dodecatheon, Glaux, Anagallis, Arctostaphylos, Arbutus, Vaccinium, Asclepias, Calotropis, Menyanthes, Sabbatia, Oenanthe, Heracleum, Daucus, Hydrocotyle, Sanicula, Eryngium, Cornus, Rhamnus, Ceanothus, Rhus, Trifolium, Medicago, Hosackia, Psoralea, Astragalus, Vicia, Lupinus, Heuchera, Saxifraga, Sedum, Escheveria,¹⁸ Ribes, Robsonia, Alsine, Rumex, Polygonum, Chorizanthe, Eriogonum, Claytonia, Calandrinia, Salicornia, Atriplex, Chenopodium, Amaranthus, Cuscuta, Mesembryanthemum, Horkelia, Fragaria, Potentilla, Rubus, Spiraea, Nuttallia, Rosa, Photinia, Sphaerostigma, Oenothera, Clarkia, Eucharidium, Epilobium, Prunus, Thlaspi, Draba, Cheiranthus, Arabis, Cardamine, Nasturtium, Sisymbrium, Sinapidendron, Escholtzia, Platystigma, Platystemon, Berberis, Viola, Frankenia, Ranunculus, Thalictrum, Aquilegia, Delphinium, Aconitum, Euphorbia, Hendecandras, Negundo, Aesculus, Malva, Gaya, Erodium, Geranium, Oxalis, Stellaria, Cerastium, Silene, Lychnis, Hypericum.

We are now dividing the harvest of seeds, principly due to Mr Wilhelmi's diligence and I shall send with one of the first clippers as extensive a collection of them as I can. Many of the West Australian species reared from seeds contributed kindfully from Kew have grown since my absence to large plants, and I should be very glad to add as extensively as possible to the variety of such shrubs, not requiring protection in this climate. I shall also endeavour to furnish this year specimens of all the principle timber for your museum, but it is not to be expected, that we should bring together such a variety, as may be easily procured from N.S. Wales. For referring to my reports it will be observed, that trees of Cedreleae, Meliaceae, Sapindaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Urticeae and many other orders are not existing in our territory, whilst they abound under the mild atmosphere of the pacific ocean on the E. coast.

A letter¹⁹ from Mr Kippist made as long a circuit as the two of you. He is anxious to get a paper for the Linnean Society. Would it not be practicable, to enable him to select from my manuscripts a few new plants, which would be of particular interest, such as Brewsteria,²⁰ Bauhinia, Azadirachta, [Atalaya], Aryteria²¹ &c.?

I believe that the Lobelia gibbosa Lab and the Lobelia simplicicaulis Br ought to be regarded as distinct species. In a dried state they look very similar to each other but in a recent state I have no difficulty in discriminating between them.

I forgot to state, that of one species of Goodenia enumerated this time not a single specimen is left after the misfortune which befel one part of the collection. I introduced it verbatim from my notes written on the spot of discovery, and it was never seen but on that locality. Also all specimens are destroyed of Calogyne pilosa, which is not infrequent in Arnhems land.

Amongst Stuarts plant[s]²² from Mount Laperouse I find also Gnaphalium Planchoni[i] and Scleroleima forsteroides, Forstera bellidifolia, Dichopetalum ranunculaceum, Hemiphues bellidioides, Diplaspis Hydrocotyle

I transmitted to day an article on Australian Umbelliferae to V. D. L. for the royal Society.²³

I introduced Didiscus procumbens and Didiscus (Hemicarpus) glandulosus into it. I refer now also to Didiscus the two Dimetopias described as a subgenus (anisocarpa) by Turczaninow = D. anisocarpa and D. grandis. Thus the genus contains now 9 species[.] I have given also a short english description of Eryngium plantagineum and E. expansum. With exception of Stuarts and Wilhelmis plants I shall publish nothing here, so that if any of my manuscripts are to be printed in England, they will remain the sole information.

Believe me, Sir William,

to be your ever obliged and

attached servant.

Ferd Mueller.

Sir W.J. Hooker, K.H., K. [Bart.]

&c &c &c

Abronia

Achillea

Aconitum

Actina

Adiantum

Aesculus

Agrostis

Alarconia

Alnus

Alopecurus

Alsima

Alsine

Amaranthus

Anagallis

Anoplanthus

Antennaria

Anthocercis

Aquilegia

Arabis

Arbutus

Arctostaphylos

Aristolochia

Armeria

Artemisia

Aryteria

Asarum

Asclepias

Aspidium

Aster

Astragalus

Atalaya

Atriplex

Avena

Azadirachta

Azolla

Baccharis

Bahia

Bauhinia

Berberis

Bessera

Bidens

Brachycome graminea

Brewsteria

Brodiaea

Calandrinia

Caleana major

Calochortus

Calogyne pilosa

Calotropis

Calystegia

Campanula

Cardamine

Carduus

Carex

Carthamus

Castilleja

Ceanothus

Cedreleae

Cerastium

Cheiranthus

Chenopodium

Chorizanthe

Clarkia

Claytonia

Collinsia

Compositae

Convolvulus

Cornus

Corylus

Cotula

Crepis

Cuscuta

Cyclobothra

Daucus

Delphinium

Deyeuxia

Dichopetalum ranunculaceum

Didiscus (Hemicarpus) glandulosus

Didiscus anisocarpa

Didiscus grandis

Didiscus procumbens

Dimetopias

Diplacus

Diplaspis Hydrocotyle

Dodecatheon

Donatia Novae Zelandiae

Draba

Drymophila cyanocarpa

Duttonia

Echinocystis

Echium

Elymus

Epilobium

Epipactis

Equisetum

Erigeron

Eriogonum

Eriophorum

Erodium

Eryngium

Eryngium expansum

Eryngium plantagineum

Escheveria

Escholtzia

Eucharidium

Euphorbia

Euphorbiaceae

Forstera bellidifolia

Fragaria

Frankenia

Franseria

Fritillaria

Galium

Garrya

Gaya

Geranium

Gilia

Glaux

Glechoma

Gnaphalium

Gnaphalium Planchonii

Goodenia

Goodeniaceae

Grindelea

Gymnogramme

Helenium

Heliotropium,Hydrophyllum

Hemiphues bellidioides

Hendecandras

Heracleum

Heuchera

Horkelia

Hosackia

Howittia trilocularis

Hydrocotyle

Hydrolea

Hypericum.

Iris

Isanthus

Juncus

Kingia

Koeleria

Lasiopetalum micranthum

Lasiopetalum Wilhelmi

Lasthenia

Lemna

Leontodon

Lessingia

Linaria

Lobelia gibbosa

Lobelia simplicicaulis

Lolium

Lonicera

Lupinus

Luzula

Lychnis

Madaria

Malva

Matricaria

Medicago

Meliaceae

Mentha

Menyanthes

Mesembryanthemum

Mimulus

Monardella

Myosotis

Myrica

Najas

Nasturtium

Navaretia

Negundo

Nemophila

Neottia

Nephrodium

Nuphar

Nuttallia

Oenanthe

Oenothera

Oreodaphne

Oxalis

Paquerina

Philydrum lanuginosum

Phleum

Photinia

Phragmites

Plantago

Platanthera

Platanus

Platystemon

Platystigma

Plectritis

Poa

Pogogyne

Polygonum

Polypodium

Polypogon

Populus

Potamogeton

Potentilla

Prenanthes

Prosartes

Prunella

Prunus

Pseudanthus ovalifolius

Psoralea

Pteris

Pulmonaria

Quercus

Ranunculus

Raoulia

Rhamnus

Rhus

Ribes

Robsonia

Rosa

Rosaceae

Rubus

Rumex

Sabbatia

Salicornia

Salix

Sambucus

Sanicula

Sapindaceae

Saxifraga

Schizanthera

Scirpus

Scleroleima forsteroides

Scrophularia

Sedum

Senecio

Senecios

Sieversia

Silene

Silybum

Sinapidendron

Sisymbrium

Sisyrinchium

Smilacina

Solanum

Solidago

Sonchus

Sphaerostigma

Spiraea

Spiranthes

Stachys

Statice

Stellaria

Stipa

Symphoricarpus

Tanacetum

Thalictrum

Thlaspi

Tollatia

Trifolium

Triglochin

Trillium

Trineuron

Triphysaria

Triteleia

Typha

Urtica

Urticeae

Uvularia

Vaccinium

Veronica

Vicia

Viola

Woodwardia

Xanthorrhoea

Xylosteum

Zygadenus