Melbourne botanic Garden
26. Oct. 1857
Dear Sir William.
Mr Wilson, the Geologist of the North Australian Expedition proceeding home by the [...]1 I avail myself of the opportunity of sending the new vol. of the transact. of our Institute, a few spare copies of my bot. articles therein, one for Mr Kippist (who I hope printed my Eucalypti since)2 — also one from the R. S of Tasmania on Umbelliferae & Eurybiae.3 I hope you will not be displeased, that I gave publicity in the latter for the sake of completeness, to a few plants of Mr Gregory's expedition. All those issued by the Vict. Inst. are from private specimens. It would give me great pleasure to get the new West-Australian Didisci even if it was only a small fragment, so that I may enlighten myself more on them. — Also any spare specimens of Eucalypti even if it was only as a loan, to be used for my monograph. The duties on this garden are very heavy, but I find always a little time for phytography. The next mail will bring the rest of the Acacia msc. I trust you will approve of my labours thereon.
Pamplin has forwarded a small case of books containing also the fine microscope from Dr Hooker. But my heart sunk, when again your species filicum not came, nor the vii vol of your icones nor Lindl gen & spec orchid.4 The latter work is fortunately lent to me by our very kind Governor.5
I have a few ferns new to Australia and was longing so much for your species filicum. Pamplin also never sent Hook & Thompson flora Indica6 except the preface. Of your excellent spec filicum I possess vol. I complete & vol II, 1-2.7 I have to thank you for adding several valuable books to those.
I shall soon be able to send the wood [specimens] from his Excellency Sir Henry Barkly. I am packing them now. You would cause me a great pleasure by letting me have a ful collection of seeds (except annuals), as I am so very anxious to give satisfaction. I am sure you will this time not forget me. Can Dr Harvey not send us some good seeds of shrubs and trees from his fine garden. I am sure to do my best to repay it, as far as our poverty will admit. I am fully resolved to consider myself unworthy of holding my new appointment, if within 2 seasons I have not increased our 1500 sp under cultivation to 5000.
I have your kind letter from Aug. 10th8 but not yet those sent to Sydney the same month, perhaps on account of Sir Will. Dennisons absence.
Ever your most
attached
Ferd. Mueller
Claudea elegans is a native also of this colony. I have a fine specimen picked up by a lady resident at Westernport.
The Acacia specimens are uniques, retained temporaneously for description. I hope the new attempt of introducing Azolla will be successful.9
The new issue of the Linnean Society is highly acceptable. Professor Meisner overlooked in his [record] of Chamaelaucieae the beautiful Schuermannia, described in the Linnaea 1852.10 I observe that Mitreola exists in North Australia. Probably some of the new Indian Mitrasacmes are also identical with mine. I would warmly recommend my notes on Mitrasacme11 to Mr Bentham as they were made from large sets of fresh specimens.12
Acacia
Azolla
Chamaelaucieae
Claudea elegans
Eucalyptus
Eurybia
Mitrasacme
Mitreola
Schuermannia
Umbelliferae
The Acacia … successful is on a small separate sheet, glued to this page of the MS.
M sent Azolla in 1855, see M to W. Hooker, 9 May 1855.
Please cite as “FVM-57-10-26a,” 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 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/57-10-26a