To Joseph Hooker¹    2 December 1868

2/12/68

In a letter, dear Dr Hooker, just received from Prof. Lindberg, M.D., Helsingfors,² he says that he has in the University Library there neither the Flora Novo-Zeel. nor the Flora Tasmanica.³ Evidently these Russian Institutions⁴ are very inadequately endowed. Without wishing to be immodest it occurs to me to ask you, whether you perhaps happen to possess proofsheets of the bryologic portions of these valuable works of yours. If so perhaps you would perhaps with your usual generosity spare them for the Professor, who evidently is a keen observer & a sedulous and conscientious worker, who deserves any support in his bryologic studies. Dr Regel would of course see anything forwarded to him. I think it is well that Dr Lindberg looks over my mosses, which I sent him on loan, in order that his views may be contrasted with those of Hampe & C. Mueller, who worked on the majority of these plants before. A choice of the opinions thereon can then be taken for the cryptogamic volume of the Australian Flora.⁵

With grateful regards your

Ferd von Mueller.

I quote a sentence from the Professors letter which is quite touching:

"I will do my best, but beg only that you may have forbearance with the poor isolated Lindberg, who never has been rich enough for a travel to England, this in every respect richest land of the world."

Prof Hegelmayer⁶ writes from Tuebingen, that he never yet saw flowering (much less fruiting) specimens of Lemna polyrrhyza! Have you none at Kew? If so perhaps you would spare the Professor one.⁷

Dr. J.D. Hooker FRS

Kew

Lemna polyrrhyza