From George Bentham   15 August 1863

Barmouth

Augt 15 /63

My dear Sir

Being absent from London for a couple of months I did not receive your last till after the July mail had left. I safely received the enclosed £10 to pay for the half dozen copies of Genera Plantarum¹ sent in the boxes pr "Prince of Wales" — and for the three copies of Flora Australiensis² which I have sent as you desired in your name to Profs Rafn, Lange and Forchhammer of Copenhagen — there will be a balance over — the exact amount I cannot tell till I get to town — which I will keep to your account.

As to the copy to be bound for the late Prince Consort's Library³ I shall do nothing till I come to town and can make enquiries. It was all very well whilst the Prince lived as he took an interest in science — and might have appreciated the compliment — but now there is no one about the Court who cares at all for such subjects — the book would be quite wasted — not unlikely become somebody's perquisite — and I certainly should not care to join in any such useless present. I have given copies to those who have assisted me as well as to De Candolle and A. Gray to whom I give everything I publish — but a dozen copies I purchased of Reeve have been enough for all these purposes

I have received the £50 each from N. S. Wales and S. Australia and that from Queensland is to come next mail and have paid Reeve for the 100 copies at full price I agreed to take for the Australian Governments — to whom I send 15 copies for every £50 subscribed. You will I hope have safely received the 30 which I sent to your care for the Victorian Government (through Baillière I think Reeve sent them) as I mentioned in my last.⁴

I shall refer to your observations on Acacia,⁵ when I come to the genus

I was perfectly aware that Drummond's plants were gathered over an extensive tract of country — from Cape Riche to Murchison River and therefore have only given them as West Australian when I had no more special indication — but his first unnumbered collection which was very rich and passed altogether through my hands before distribution — as well as the first numbered collection which was said to have been made up by him in Australia out of corresponding specimens — were all said to come from sufficiently near to Swan river to go under that general description — most of them were also gathered by Preiss in the vicinity of Swan River and Darby range — Drummond's 2d & 3d collections appear to have been from various stations some north some south some perhaps a considerable way to the east the 4th and 5th chiefly from the southern districts King George's Sound to Cape Riche and beyond — the 6th collection was sent with the general designation "Between Moore and Murchison Rivers" There is however so much confusion in these distributed collections that I should not have quoted the numbers had it not been that they have got into so many hands who will be glad of any assistance in naming them.

Before leaving town I finished (as far as I can till I receive yours) the Podalyrieae (excepting some writing out and drawing up which I have with me means of doing during my holiday and which I have now far advanced) Although I have found reason to reduce many of my own species as well as several of Meisner's and Turczaninow's I cannot make less than about 340 which I distribute as follows

Jansonia 1 sp. ⁶

Brachysema — capitally characterised by the small vexillum — 14 species including Leptosema Bth Kaleniczenkia Turcz. and Burgesia F. Muell.

Oxylobium 26 sp. including Callistachys Vent and Podolobium R. Br. — I think that O. arborescens and your O. alpestre⁷ must go into O. ellipticum — Callistachys lanceolata, C. ovata and C. longifolia Paxt all form one species O. callistachys — C. linearis and C. parviflora unite into O. lineare. Your O. procumbens is a good sp. — Several Swan river sp. go into O. capitatum and O. cuneatum which are very near together —

Chorizema 14 sp. including Orthotropis. This genus differs from Oxylobium in habit and in the corina usually small — I think it must be kept up — I have made many reductions in the Western species — and Dichosema racemosum Meisn. probably belongs to it.

Mirbelia 15 sp. including Dichosema — this genus closely allied to Oxylobium Chorizema and Gastrolobium differs constantly (perhaps too artificially) in the divided ovary and pod. Your M. aotoides is a remarkable sp — Chorizema Baueri Bth (not Meisn) is the same as M. pungens A. Cunn. — Daviesia ramulosa Bth or Chorizema daviesioides Meisn is Mirbelia daviesioides — perhaps the leafless one you mention.⁸

Isotropis 5 sp. — I. striata includes I. biloba and Callistachys cuneifolia Sm. but think I. drummondi Meisn a good sp. — I. juncea Turcz I. filicaulis and I. parviflora are quite distinct in the leaflet articulate on the petiole

Gompholobium 23 sp. One of the most marked genera by the long funicles all curved or folded downwards and several other characters — there are simple leaved as well as digitate and pinnate species — The synonymy of Smith's species has been sadly mistaken — G. polymorphum Br. includes G. grandiflorum Andr. non Sm, G. pedunculare DC. G. venulosum Lindl G. tenue Lindl & G. versicolor Lindl. — G. latifolium Sm (non Labill) or G. fimbriatum Sm. includes G. barbigerum DC. — G. Huegelii Bth includes G. latifolium Labill et Auct plur non Sm. — G. virgatum Sm. includes G. aspalathoides A. Cun. — G. minus Sm. (Burtonia minor DC) includes G. tetrathecoides Sieb. G. grandiflorum Sm. includes G. glaucescens A. Cunn.

Burtonia 7 species — closely allied to Gompholobium and has similar curious long thick funicles — but only 2, one curved or folded upwards, the other downwards and the style is more dilated at the base like Gompholobium it has simple, digitate & pinnate-leaved species B. subulata includes Gompholobium subulatum Benth & G. stenophyllum F. Muell. — B. foliolosa (G. foliolosum Bth) — B. polyzyga (G. polyzgum F. Muell) — B. Hendersonii (G. Hendersonii Paxt.) — B. scabra includes B. sessilifolia DC. and B. pulchella Meisn.

Jacksonia 28 sp. — distinguished from all except Gompholobium and Burtonia by the valvate calyx and from those two by a variety of characters — it must include Piptomeris Turcz notwithstanding its 4 to 6 ovules Besides many corrections and reductions in Western species the common J. scoparia (which is also in Drummonds Murchison river coll.) includes J. macrocarpa Bth. And J. cupulifera Meisn.

Sphaerolobium 12 sp. including Roea — but I think S (R) linophyllum and S. (R. nudiflorum) quite distinct⁹ — Euchilus linearis Bth forms a 3d sect of Sphaerolobium and I have made several corrections in the synonymy of the western species. The true S. medium Br. is the one I described as acuminatum.

Viminaria 1 sp.

Daviesia 52 sp. — the characters of this and the two preceeding genera very marked — I have reduced several Western species and have several unpublished ones both Eastern (R Brown &c) and Western — One from the southern districts of N. S. Wales and also from Avon ranges F. Mueller is as yet unpublished as far as I can see I call it temporarily D. buxifolia — but shall publish it under whatever name (if unoccupied) I find in your herb. when I get it¹⁰ D. corymbosa Sm. includes D. mimosoides Br. and D. vergata¹¹ A. Cunn. — D. umbellulata Sm. (non Hook fil &c) includes D. racemulosa DC. and D. pubigera A. Cunn. — D. squarrosa Sm includes D. villifera A. Cunn. — D. ulicina Sm. includes D. umbellata Labill, D. umbellulata Hook f. non Sm., and D. ruscifolia A. Cunn. — D. genistifolia A. Cunn includes D. colletioides A. Cunn non Meisn (the latter a distinct Western sp. — D. pectinata Lindl. includes D. decurrens and D. prionoides Meisn. — the Victorian D. brevifolia as well as the last extends to W. Australia.

Aotus 9 sp. Differs from Pultenaea in the absence of strophiole and bracteoles (and except in 1 sp.) of stipules A. villosa Sm. includes A. virgata DC. A ericoides G. Don A. gracillima and A. intermedia Meisn etc. — A. mollis and A. lanigera are I think both good — the remainder are Western

Phyllota 5 sp. Like Aotus has no strophiole or stipules but has bracteoles — and is remarkable for all or at least 5 of the stamens more or less adnate to the petals at the base and often all connate in a ray P. phylicoides includes P. pilosa, P. aspera, P. comosa, P. grandiflora P. squarrosa and P. Baueri Bth. — the other 4 are western

Gastrolobium 29 sp. — Closely connecting Oxylobium with Pultenaea — only differs from the strophiolate sp. of the former in having only 2 ovules — and from Pultenaea in habit and in the bracteoles very deciduous or sometimes none. The species are all Western and include Eutaxia reticulata Meisn (E. punctata Turcz) and Oxylobium batillum Hook — G. cordatum Bth is Oxylobium spectabile Endl — G. retusum Lindl. is Oxylobium retusum Br. var. — G. axillare Meisn is Oxylobium reticulatum Meisn var. — G. acutum Bth is Oxylobium acutum

Pultenaea 72 sp. including Spadostylis¹² Bth Euchilus R Br. and Urodon Turcz — Strophiole & Bracteoles always persistent stipules rarely wanting — P. daphnoides Sm includes P. obcordata Andr. P. stricta Sm includes P. capitellata DC. — P. Gunnii Bth includes P. baekeoides A. Cunn. — P. scabra R Br. includes P. montana Lindl. P. biloba R Br and P. cuneata Bth. — P. microphylla Sieb includes P. uncinata A. Cunn. — P. pedunculata Hook includes P. diemenica Turcz — I think P. diffusa Hook f. more likely to be a Pultenaea than a Phyllota, the stamens are quite free — Euchilus purpureus Turcz may be a Pultenaea — P. (Daviesia Sm. Jacksonia DC) reticulata includes P. aciphylla Bth. — Euchilus calycinus Turcz E. obcordatus R Br. and E. rotundifolius Turcz all go into Pultenaea — retaining I believe their respective specific names — Pultenaea ternata F. Muell (P verticellata R Br. Herb) includes Spadostylis Cunninghamii Bth. Gastrolobium Huegelii Henfr and Aotus cordifolius Lindl & Paxt non Benth. — P. cuspidata¹³ F. Muell includes Oxylobium spinosum DC — Euchilus spinulosus Turcz goes into Pultenaea keeping its specific name — P. epacridea F. Muell is a good sp.¹⁴ — and I have one near it from the Murrumbidgee McArthur — which if not otherwise named in your herb. I shall call P. Macarthurii¹⁵ — P. procumbens A. Cunn includes P. setigera A. Cunn. — P. villosa Willd includes P. ferruginea Rudge — P. euchila DC. includes Spadostylis Sieberi Bth. — P. elliptica Sm includes P. hypolampra Sieb and P. thymifolia Sieb. One from Mt William¹⁶ F. Muell and from some S. districts of N S Wales is I think new allied to P. elliptica and P. villifera — P. largiflorens F. Muell is I think a good sp. P. dentata Labill includes P. argentea A. Cunn. and P. pimeleoides Hook. f. — Both Urodons of Turczaninow belong to one sp. P. urodon. — P. plumosa Sieb includes P. canescens A. Cunn. — P. juniperina Labill includes P. cordata Hook. — I have reduced several western species and have several new ones eastern or western from R. Br. and others

Latrobea 5 sp. including Leptocytisus is very near Aotus and Pultenaea — differs from the former in the strophiolate seeds — and from Pultenaea either in the absence of stipules or of bracts or in the very flat pod or in various little rather uncertain characters The calyx is usually much more regular &c. — Besides Meisners 2 Latrobeas his Leptocytisus and Turczaninow’s L. hirtellus this must include also Burtonia diosmifolia Bth which connects the genus with Pultenaea subumbellata — It has nothing to do with Burtonia

Eutaxia R.Br. 9 sp. including Sclerothamnus is very near Pultenaea, but the decussate opposite leaves give it a peculiar habit and the bracteoles are distant from the calyx E. empetrifolia Schlecht includes Sclerothamnus microphyllus R. Br. and extends to W. Australia (from specimens of Baxters) — the other species are all Western.

Dillwynia 12 sp? — this genus I have not finished It is very near Pultenaea — Eutaxia divaricata and uncinata Meisn¹⁷ and Aotus dillwynioides Meisn belong to it

Latrobea Eutaxia Dillwynia and about 2/3ds of Pultenaea have the upper side of the leaf concave or light coloured or the margins involute (or when the leaf is terete channelled above) The remaining Pultenaeas are flat or folded lengthwise with the underside paler or the margin revolute (or when terete chanelled underneath) — There are many minor points leading to the distinction of genera too long to mention here.

Of almost all the species described I have soaked and dissected several — sometimes many flowers taken from as different-looking specimens as I could select

Strophioles are a difficult character to examine and they grow so much when the seed is nearly ripe as often to lead into error — they are however more constant in size and shape in Leguminosae than in Dilleniaceae for instance where the change from a full grown nearly ripe seed to a well ripened seed often appeared to be very considerable.

I shall be anxious to hear of the safe arrival of the plants returned per "Prince of Wales" — those you sent per "Great Britain" are I understand safe at Kew.

I shall not write by the Sept. mail unless there is anything very particular to say as I shall scarcely be back in town till after the mail has left

Yours very sincerely

George Bentham

Dr F. Mueller

Pray do not address me as "Mr President” Bentham for that is not the custom in this country however it may be in Germany¹⁸

Aotus cordifolius

Aotus dillwynioides

Aotus ericoides

Aotus gracillima

Aotus intermedia

Aotus lanigera

Aotus mollis

Aotus villosa

Aotus virgata

Brachysema

Burgesia

Burtonia diosmifolia

Burtonia foliolosa

Burtonia Hendersonii

Burtonia minor

Burtonia polyzyga

Burtonia pulchella

Burtonia scabra

Burtonia sessilifolia

Burtonia subulata

Callistachys cuneifolia

Callistachys lanceolata

Callistachys linearis

Callistachys ovata

Callistachys parviflora

Chorizema Baueri

Chorizema daviesioides

Daviesia brevifolia

Daviesia buxifolia

Daviesia colletioides

Daviesia corymbosa

Daviesia decurrens

Daviesia genistifolia

Daviesia mimosoides

Daviesia pectinata

Daviesia prionoides

Daviesia pubigera

Daviesia racemulosa

Daviesia ramulosa

Daviesia reticulata

Daviesia ruscifolia

Daviesia squarrosa

Daviesia ulicina

Daviesia umbellata

Daviesia umbellulata

Daviesia villifera

Daviesia vergata

Dichosema racemosum

Dilleniaceae

Dillwynia

Euchilus calycinus

Euchilus linearis

Euchilus obcordatus

Euchilus purpureus

Euchilus rotundifolius

Euchilus spinulosus

Eutaxia divaricata

Eutaxia punctata

Eutaxia reticulate

Eutaxia uncinata

Gastrolobium acutum

Gastrolobium axillare

Gastrolobium cordatum

Gastrolobium grandiflorum

Gastrolobium Huegelii

Gastrolobium retusum

Gompholobium aspalathoides

Gompholobium barbigerum

Gompholobium fimbriatum

Gompholobium foliolosum

Gompholobium foliolosum

Gompholobium glaucescens

Gompholobium grandiflorum

Gompholobium Hendersonii

Gompholobium Huegelii

Gompholobium latifolium

Gompholobium minus

Gompholobium pedunculare

Gompholobium polymorphum

Gompholobium polyzgum

Gompholobium stenophyllum

Gompholobium subulatum

Gompholobium tenue

Gompholobium tetrathecoides

Gompholobium venulosum

Gompholobium versicolor

Gompholobium virgatum

Isotropis biloba

Isotropis drummondi

Isotropis filicaulis

Isotropis juncea

Isotropis parviflora

Isotropis striata

Jacksonia cupulifera

Jacksonia macrocarpa

Jacksonia reticulata

Jacksonia scoparia

Jansonia

Kaleniczenkia

Latrobea

Leguminosae

Leptocytisus hirtellus

Leptosema

Mirbelia aotoides

Mirbelia daviesioides

Mirbelia pungens

Orthotropis

Oxylobium acutum

Oxylobium alpestre

Oxylobium arborescens

Oxylobium batillum

Oxylobium callistachys

Oxylobium capitatum

Oxylobium cuneatum

Oxylobium ellipticum

Oxylobium lineare

Oxylobium procumbens

Oxylobium reticulatum

Oxylobium retusum

Oxylobium spectabile

Oxylobium spinosum

Phyllota aspera

Phyllota Baueri

Phyllota comosa

Phyllota grandiflora

Phyllota phylicoides

Phyllota pilosa

Phyllota squarrosa

Piptomeris

Podalyrieae

Pultenaea aciphylla

Pultenaea argentea

Pultenaea baekeoides

Pultenaea biloba

Pultenaea calycina

Pultenaea canescens

Pultenaea capitellata

Pultenaea cuneata

Pultenaea cuspidata

Pultenaea daphnoides

Pultenaea dentata

Pultenaea diemenica

Pultenaea diffusa

Pultenaea elliptica

Pultenaea epacridea

Pultenaea euchila

Pultenaea ferruginea

Pultenaea Gunnii

Pultenaea juniperina

Pultenaea largiflorens

Pultenaea Macarthura

Pultenaea microphylla

Pultenaea montana

Pultenaea obcordata

Pultenaea pedunculata

Pultenaea pimeleoides

Pultenaea plumosa

Pultenaea procumbens

Pultenaea reticulata

Pultenaea rotundifolia

Pultenaea scabra

Pultenaea setigera

Pultenaea stricta

Pultenaea subumbellata

Pultenaea ternata

Pultenaea thymifolia

Pultenaea uncinata

Pultenaea urodon

Pultenaea verticellata

Pultenaea villifera

Pultenaea villosa

Roea linophyllum

Roea nudiflorum

Sclerothamnus

Spadostylis Cunninghamii

Spadostylis Sieberi

Sphaerolobium acuminatum

Sphaerolobium linophyllum

Sphaerolobium medium

Sphaerolobium nudiflorum

Urodon

Viminaria