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From John Dallachy to Ferdinand von Mueller   11 Sep 1863

No 33

Mount Mueller1

11th September 1863

This is the best plant that I have ever met with in Queens land – the flowers are of a deep orange colour flowers numerous more fragrant than the Magnolia Fuscata I found it out by its powerful perfume. The plants support themselves on other trees its a stragling grower, I think. The foliage is dark green the deep orange colour of the flowers and dark green leaves has a fine appearance. No fruit I am sorry to say. This plant must belong to the Magnolia Order of Plants. I should like to see this plant growing in every garden in Melbourne. I found a Dwarf Bush in the lower part of the climb and I think with good training it would form a splendid shrub. I […] near the tope of Mount Mueller but I was not able to get to the very tope of this mountain yet. Shall some time.

JD.

You can smell the flowers of this plant all through the forest

Magnolia Fuscata

1

Qld. The name does not appear in modern gazeteers.

2

MS found with a specimen of Melodorum leichhardtii (MEL 2183273). Annotated in M’s hand: ‘Melodorum Leichhardtii’.

Please cite as “FVM-63-09-11c,” 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/63-09-11c