To George Bentham   25 December 1865

25/12/65

Only the helichrysoid Compositae, dear Mr Bentham, are remaining to be sent to you; these will soon follow the two other boxes Compositae despatched in Sept by the Kent & in Nov by the Yorkshire. I can however not regard it advisable to enter on Compositae for your third volume. The order is too large to find conveniently room in it. It appears to me far better to retain those plants for the fourth volume and to bring up arrears to the first three volumes in supplemental pages. It will certainly involve 5 years work more, until the Dicotyledoneae, Monocotyledoneae & ferns are done & that would be a long while to wait for supplements. Euphorbiaceae and Laurineae might afford additional material for the third volume. This time I beg to send a very beautiful Melaleuca, which I did not send before and which I wish to bear the name of Dr W. McCrea, the Chief Medical Officer of Victoria, should it prove new.¹ But you may have it in Drummonds collection or it may even be recently described by Turczaninow who but little before his death published about 30 Myrtaceae from Australia in the Moscou Bulletin. Of this essay you will undoubtedly be aware.² I received it only after I sent off my Myrtaceae to you.

I notice with pleasure while unpacking the 2 cases, which arrived safely by the Royal Edward this week, that you recognize nearly all my new Myrtaceae as tenable. I certainly have given a good deal of attention to the elucidation of Austr species of this order for a series of years. The Melaleuca now sent seems to differ materially from M. Waeberi & M. parviceps. It is a most lovely shrub & I can distribute its seeds largely. The Eugenia Wilsonii is not yet back. Is this plant really new?

Notes for Mr Bentham³

Minuria leptophylla DC & M. tenuissima DC may be combined under Sonders Minuria asteroidea. Kippistia is closely allied but distinct.

Swainsona coronillifolia enjoys the priority over S. galegifolia, unless Salisbury indicated the last species in the paradisus,⁴ which I do not possess.

You althogether omitted Galactia pauciflora & G. prostrata as synonyms. The Genus was named by Patr. Browne⁵ and G. tenuiflora named by Wight & Arnott.⁶

Since publishing my note that Felicia & some other genera have to be drawn to Aster⁷ I have received Harvey & Sonders third volume⁸ (pr Royal Edward) where the reduction is already carried out. I see however nowhere in any work, that Eurybia is not to be separated from Aster. In my essay on the Burdekin plants I described the Atylosiae as Cajani.⁹ This you overlooked. The distinction of these two genera are still not clear to me. I see nothing to hinder us to draw Ixiolaena to Helichrysum; but I will still further consider the matter, while working on gnaphaloid genera.

The setae in Ixiolaena, even in the same species are very variable.

Poor Edw Wilson has just to go through the cataract operation, which I trust will sufficiently restore his sight to look during a long & serene autumn[e] of life joyfully on the smiling features of the world. I am so anxious to afford him in his present distress any little pleasure. Pray therefore let me know whether the noble redflowered Eugenia can permanently bear his name. Be also so friendly to bear in mind that I changed the name of Eucalyptus diversicolor, into E. colossea,¹⁰ it turning out to be the colossal Karri Gum. Pray look in Eucalypti to Placentae, perhaps they afford characteristic [ma]rk. I once commenced a special work on Eucalypti with folio plates, but was obliged to give it up on account of the expense. I look forward with interest to your new fasc of genera¹¹ and wish you strenght & health in the rapid progress of your glorious labours

With unalterable

esteem yr

Ferd Mueller

I received in excellent condition & well packed back the 2 boxes with Myrtaceae pr. Royal Edward

Aster

Atylosia

Cajanus

Compositae

Dicotyledoneae

Eucalyptus colossea

Eucalyptus diversicolor

Eugenia Wilsonii

Euphorbiaceae

Eurybia

Felicia

Galactia tenuiflora

Galactia pauciflora

Galactia prostrata

Helichrysum

Ixiolaena

Kippistia

Laurineae

Melaleuca parviceps

Melaleuca Waeberi

Minuria asteroidea

Minuria leptophylla

Minuria tenuissima

Monocotyledoneae

Myrtaceae

Swainsona coronillifolia

Swainsona galegifolia