To Joseph Hooker   20 May 1870

Melbourne bot Garden

20/5/70

 

Herewith, dear Dr Hooker, I beg to send you a curious Ranunculus, just discovered by Mr Th. Kirk at Waikati.1 In its dwarf state it resembles forms of Limosella aquatica. Perhaps you have an opportunity to make it known.2

Change by all means the specific name, if you think proper.

I have not time to write much. The month of May is to me what to the Squatter is the shearing time and to the farmer the reaping time. I have to select in this month approximately 70,000 plants for gardens of churches, school & cemeteries, and now I am suddenly called on to bring in a return on the expenditure and property of my Department since 1857, when I became Director. I hope this return will do me some good when my Departmental vote comes before Parliament next week.3

With best wishes for you

Ferd von Mueller

 

Limosella aquatica

Ranunculus

1
Waikato? NZ.
2
Presumably Ranunculus limosella in Kirk (1871).Kirk wrote: 'I am indebted to my friend, Dr. F. v. Mueller, for valuable notes on this curious little plant, for which I have adopted the name proposed by him'.
3
See M to J. McCulloch, 23 June 1870. The Return was requested by the Member for Collingwood, Mr Everard, but was not available when the Legislative Assembly debated, and agreed, the vote for the Garden on 26 May (see Argus, 8 July 1870, p. 7). The Return was tabled on 7 July 1870 (see Argus, 8 July 1870, p. 5).

Please cite as “FVM-70-05-20,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/70-05-20