To George Bentham   11 August 1863

Melbourne botanic Garden

11/8/63.

Dear Mr Bentham.¹

I am much gratified to observe that you so largely reduce the genera of Leguminosae.² Nothing has rendered our favorite science more difficult, then the multiplication of genera. I wished, allow me to say, that you had applied the same conservative principles to the Rutaceae. That I reduced Atylosia to Cajanus you will have observed in my report on Fitzalans plants.³ Herewith you receive a list of quotations of Leguminosae published by me elsewhere then in the Fragmenta.⁴ I am packing the rest of the Leguminosae for you now; for after finishing off Mimoseae and Caesalpineae I will relinquish the task of working, except incidentally, the Victorian plants out before you, as I could not possibly keep pace with you and should delay your work if I attempted it. I have⁵ too little time to devote to it, unless I keep late hours which my health will not admit. I will however always do what I can to facilitate by prepary arrangements or investigations your own labour. You will kindly bear in mind, that it becomes now doubly necessary to adopt the safest measures in sending the collections to and fro, as with the loss of any portion of them the material for the Victorian flora would be destroyed. Amongst the supplemental fascicles packed this moment (and to be forwarded by an early Clipper) you will find a number of unnamed very beautiful and evidently new Leguminosae, gathered by Maxwell in his various trips to the [we]stern⁶ Extremity of the Great Bight.

The "Prince of Wales" has as yet not arrived, altho due. I hope my four boxes will come all safe.

I think it would be nice if the Leguminosae were kept by themselfes in vol II, perhaps with supplemental notes to vol. I.

Maxwell has just returned from the Western Exploring Expedition,⁷ which although geographically unsuccessful is likely to have extended our knowledge of the flora of that part of Australia. I will take pains to send off any Leguminosae at once and also any that may arrive from N.E. Australia, where Mr Dallachy continues collecting on the expense of my department. I am besides expecting contributions from some friends; but there are now no Governments geographical expeditions engaged and hence the supply of plants from such has ceased and will remain so for some time to come.

Enclosed you will find 2 notes from our Minister of finances, the honorable Geo. Vernon, from which you will perceive, that the second hundred pounds will be placed at your disposal by this mail, as before through the Colonial Agent in London.

Probably you will not approve of my having in the flora of Victoria brought all the Desert Cassiae from C. phyllodinea to C desolata into one species = i.e. C. artemisoides (with about a dozend synonyms. Yet there is nothing in the flower and fruit to separate them, and of the forms of leaves & petioles you will see all possible gradations in my three fascicles of this polymorphous and truely protean species. In all the diagnoses of Cassiae the position of the seeds should be recorded, whether longitudinal or transversal, whether facing or edging the valves. Vogels synopsis⁸ has proved to me of little utility. In it we find the same species occasionally in two sections. What Cassia occidentalis is I cannot make out with my comparatively scanty extra-Australian material! If Wight & Arnott⁹ are correct, the position of the seeds is quite different to that of C. Sophera, which may include C. Barclayana. The stipellar glands seem to vary clavate or spherical. I have reduced Inga moniliformis to Acacia, of which the Australian Pithecolobia form a section.

I shall finish this letter after the receipt of yours by incoming mail.

Ever yours

Ferd. Mueller.

The enclosed descriptions of two Acaciae¹⁰ I did not venture to publish, not feeling confident that they are specifically distinct. We have yet much to learn on the cyclus of forms of the species, altho' the joint material at your disposal will no doubt supply a good series of forms of many species. The root of Acacia lophantha is remarkable for its alliaceous odor.¹¹

Should not the genus Spadostylis¹² be broken up and the species with opposite [or] verticillate leaves be transferred to Euchilus and the spec. with alternate leaves to Pultenaea? I [surmise]¹³ that on the position of the leaves you base the main characters of Oxylobium (& Podolobium) and of Chorizema. If these are sufficient for generic distinction Euchilus must be kept up as a genus; otherwise I should have been inclined to join Oxylobium to Chorizema. That I united in various of my writings Eutaxia and Sclerothamnus you will probably remember.

I have not carefully examined the Oxylobia and you are probably quite correct in uniting O. alpestre with O. ellipticum. It is curious, that this plant, which is abundant over all our alpine chains from the sources of the Genoa River to Mount Baw Baw and northward in any direction should maintain its general characters so well. It forms very often the main alpine scrubs, and ranges from 4-5000' seldom descending to 3500'.

14/8/63

Dear Mr Bentham

I can now at once reply to your kind letter of 24 June.¹⁴ As I am engaged getting the last portion of Leguminosae packed you may expect to receive the whole in November and the small families you indicate in December. I shall present the 30 copies of your Flora to the Government, when ever they arrive, in your name. Unfortunately, I do not possess Turcz. writings on Austral Leguminosae¹⁵ and hence I fear some of those, described in the Fragmenta [can]not¹⁶ be maintained. Of a very fine Oxylobium herewith description. You will notice that I reduced Roea to Sphaerolobium. Though I hold so strong views on the necessity of reducing genera I should hardly recommend to unite Dillwynia with Pultenaea. The occurrence of stipules or its absense seems to me to stamp always decided generic differences. I attach also great importance to the distinct development of a strophiole. As I have in your last letter the exact enumeration of those families you intend to insert into the second volume along with the Leguminosae, I will not fail to put them up without delay, and the Myrtaceae can follow at once, as Eucalypti and many other are ready for shipment.

With a cordial good-bye and the sincerest wishes for your health & happiness I remain, dear Mr Bentham,

Your attached

Ferd Mueller.

When thanking you by last mail for your kindness of completing the sending of proofsheets, I acknowledged the generous spirit, with which you have delt with me throughout. Pray give Sir Will. & Dr Hooker my kindest regards from me.

You will be aware that I reduced Cyclogyne to Swainsona in various documents. Of Phaseolus rostratus I have furnished a careful description in my Kew manuscripts from living plants.¹⁷ The structure of the flower is most curious.¹⁸

Acacia lophantha

Acacia section Pithecolobia

Atylosia

Caesalpineae

Cajanus

Cassia artemisoides

Cassia Barclayana

Cassia desolata

Cassia occidentalis

Cassia phyllodinea

Cassia Sophera

Chorizema

Cyclogyne

Dillwynia

Eucalyptus

Euchilus

Eutaxia

Inga moniliformis

Leguminosae

Mimoseae

Myrtaceae

Oxylobium alpestre

Oxylobium ellipticum

Phaseolus rostratus

Podolobium

Pultenaea

Roea

Rutaceae

Sclerothamnus

Spadostylis

Sphaerolobium

Swainsona