Melbourne bot. Garden
20/5/64.
Dear Mr Davenport
I must not be remiss in expressing my gratification to hear of Mrs Davenports return and to congratulate your Lady to the success that has attended her effort to bring the Ailantus Silkworm to Australia, a fact which for ever will identify her name with the new industry thereby initiated in this country.
You speak of the mulberry silkworm, but this is largely established in Australia at least in this colony. The spurious Quinoa has also well grown here. I take the liberty of using the expression spurious because the true Quinoa is Chenopodium Quinoa, whilst the plant which we raised is Amarantus paniculatus. The grain however of both is nutritious.
Accept my best thank for the seeds of Olives, all fine varieties.
With expressions of kindest regard for you & Mrs Davenport
I remain, dear Sir,
yours cordially
Ferd. Mueller
Amarantus paniculatus
Chenopodium Quinoa
Please cite as “FVM-64-05-20a,” 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