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From Ferdinand von Mueller to William Woolls   [Feb 1859]

[6. Acianthus ... A. caudatus ... is very rare. ... Dr. Mueller, the Government botanist at Melbourne, informs me that it is one of the rarest orchids in Australia. ...

10. Caladenia ... in the interior of the colony, there is a very fantastical species, popularly known as the "The Fly Orchis." I received a specimen of this from Bathurst, and also from the Murrumbidgee,1 and not recognising the genus in the dried state, I forwarded both specimens to my learned friend Dr. Mueller, who immediately informed me that the species was C. Patersoni described by Brown as peculiar to Tasmania. If I understand the purport of the Doctor’s remarks, the Bathurst and Murrumbidgee orchids are identical and the species being of a very polymorphous character, has been differently named C. Patersoni, C. filamentosa, and C. tentacula.]

Acianthus caudatus

Caladenia filamentosa

Caladenia Patersoni

Caladenia tentacula

1

Both NSW.

2

Letter not found. For the text given here see Sydney morning herald, 7 March 1859, p. 5 in a letter to the Editor by Woolls. The information that Woolls reports having received from M may have been sent in different letters.

Please cite as “FVM-59-02-00e,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/59-02-00e