To William Hooker¹    26 November 1861

Melbourne bot & zool. Garden

26. Nov. 1861

Dear Sir William.

It was highly gratifying to me to learn from your kind letter, dated 26 Sept and also from Dr Hookers letter by the last mail,² that my proposition in regard to Mr Benthams Flora had met with so cordial an acceptance from you and your celebrated son, and that you entertain the hope of Mr Bentham approving also of my propositions; I only await now Mr Benthams final answer to prepare for the shipment of the Thalamiflorae.

As I shall write more fully on the subject of the transmissions by next mail, I have little to add, but to express my joy of Dr Harvey's recovery. I truly hope, he will take care of himself, for how is such a man to be replaced if we loose him?

I am now nearly through the Thalamiflorae. It would have been done earlier but for the tragical calamities of the Exploring party!³ A glorious achievement has come to the saddest termination! without direct fault of anyone here or in the field.

In examining the Geraniaceae, I find that all Pelargonia have not convolute and twisted cotyledons as Geranium, but flat or slightly concave-convex cotyledons. Perhaps this important distinctive note is worthy of Dr Hookers acceptance for the genera plantarum. Howittia has trifid cotyledons. I have recently received male flowers of Gyrostemon cotinifolius. The anthers are uniseriate thus it differs from the remaining typical Gyrostemon ramulosus and now I transfer it therefore together with my genus Hymenotheca to Codonocarpus,⁴ which we may presume to have the same anthereal arrangement. Dr Hooker will find in the now forwarded closing fascicle of the II vol of the fragmenta some note by Planchon, who draws Cadellia near Biebersteinia, Suriana & Limnanthus.⁵

If Dr Hooker could manage to send me through the despatch bag of the Governor or otherwise proofsheets of his & Benth genera⁶ by the mails, I would be able to furnish any additions in such time, as to be enrolled (if accepted) in the last pages of his volumes.

It is a source of deep gratification to my feelings, that I hear of your regaining health. Let me implore you to take the greatest care of yourself, my dear Sir William; — Extensive cessation of work during winter and enjoyment of the air of the rural districts in summer I feel sure will long retain for us the blessing of your being amongst us.

Ever your gratefully attached

Ferd Mueller

My kindest regards to Dr Hooker & Mr Bentham; to both I will write by next mail.

Dr. Hooker will note that Rhytidandra Asa Gr. belongs to Alangiaceae & that Pseudalangium is the same genus.

Are seeds of Elymus geniculatus readily in your noble establishment. Should this [Siphonia] be new, perhaps the excellent Mr Berkely will name it in honor of the finder.

Alangiaceae

Biebersteinia

Cadellia

Codonocarpus

Elymus geniculatus

Geraniaceae

Geranium

Gyrostemon cotinifolius

Gyrostemon ramulosus

Howittia

Hymenotheca

Limnanthus

Pelargonium

Pseudalangium

Rhytidandra

Siphonia

Suriana

Thalamiflorae