From George Bentham   16 November 1861

Kew London W

Nov 16/61

My dear Sir

Since I last wrote to you I have been working up the Australian Hibbertieae which it was necessary to do in order to decide for our Genera on your proposed consolidation of the whole except Pachynema into one genus[.]¹ I have carefully examined the whole of those I have hitherto accepte[d]² (including 7 species of Browns chiefly from the N. Coast which I do not see in any other collection and of which 4 were not seen by de Candolle) altogether I have dissected the ovaries of more than 200 specimens and upon the principles which have guided us in our Genera we are disposed to agree with you as to uniting Pleurandra and Hemistemma with Hibbertia. But Candollea is too constant in its characters to be neglected notwithstanding the little differences in habit. I always find 5 bundles of stamens the filaments united to above the middle where there are 5 carpels, all bear 2 to 5 or 6 anthers, and sometimes there is one single stamen within each. Where the carpels are reduced to 4, 3 or 2 it often happens that 1, 2 or 3 of the bundles are reduced to a single stamen — whilst in those Hibbertias where there is any union of the filaments it is short and irregular — and I have in vain looked for any example of a passage from one to the other. I divide Hibbertia into 4 distinct sections, 1 Hemistemma stamens 1-sided with barren staminodia ones above barren ones outside only them[.] 2 Hemipleurandra stamens 4 sided with staminodia on each side more or less containing the circle but none outside the fertile ones except in 2 species (Hemistephus)[.] 3 Pleurandra stamens divided without any barren ones[.] 4 Hibbertia stamens all round[.] These I divide into several groups[.] Some have some have not staminodia outside the fertile stamens. Candolleas are all Western, so are Hemipleurandras, Pleurandras Eastern & Southern with one or two Western Hibbertias dispersed all over but some of the groups specially Northern Western or South Eastern. Hemistemmas Northern with one Western species — Ochrolasia is a pure Hibbertia.

Adrastea we keep distinct[.] It is a step towards Pachynema. We have 3 true Pachynemas besides Huttia which we unite with it as a section[.] The 2 inner barren stamens alternating with the ovaries are a curious character in the united genus.

I sent you in my last letter a sketch of the proposed title page for the Flora — I forgot to add that I should of course explain fully in the Preface the part you will have taken in the work, and hope to do full credit to your zeal and success.

What I am more anxious for as soon as possible is the printed sheets of your Victorian Flora³ — notes on localities and habit of species not comprised in that Flora and the loan of specimens of those species of which you have not hitherto sent us specimens — all for the families above Leguminosae which as you say will probably fill the first volume[.] The second volume will include the terrible genus Eucalyptus which perhaps might be worked up by you with notes that I might add from the comparison with specimens published in Europe[.] And what I should suggest as most conducive to the general purpose would be your proceeding as rapidly as possible with your important Flora of Victoria so as to keep well a-head of me. My work on the limited plan of Flora Hongkongensis⁴ can never supercede the detailed history of the plants contained in your Flora.

I intended so arranging the typography of the habitats so as that the eye shall at once catch the plants belonging to the several divisions North Coast, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, West Australia, and perhaps North West Australia — Pray send in your first any suggestions for consideration as to this or other topics.

Yours ever sincerely

George Bentham

Adrastea

Candollea

Eucalyptus

Hemistemma

Hibbertia

Hibbertia sect. Hemipleurandra

Hibbertieae

Huttia

Leguminosae

Ochrolasia

Pachynema

Pachynema

Pleurandra