To George Bentham   10 July 1870

10/7/70.

 

I have again written my views on that portion of the work, dear Mr Bentham, which you forwarded to me by the mail just arrived. I am pleased with the whole arrangement and the details, altho' I do not admit quite so many species as you defined. The array of Salsolaceae must surprise naturalists, & I really think we will have yet to add to them, so that probably Australia will turn out one of the richest countries in this respect. For upholding my authorships I remain gratefully indebted to you in many cases.1

This month I have to work for the Sydney Industrial Exhibition and next month I will have to do much for the industrial Museum, to form the phytologic section there, I have also promised at least 2 lectures,2 which together with geographical work and some medical engagements take some time3

But after that I hope to be able to proceed with the Monocotyledoneae vigorously. Much is done towards Restiaceae & other Glumaceae, but the notes want finishing off.

I was glad to learn that your fete at the L.S. was one of great eclat.4

Let me hope you are well.

With this wish concludes

Your attached

Ferd. von Mueller.

 

All the lithograms were sent successively to Kew, whenever they appeared. But I send now a complete set once more of all those, which have been issued since the 2 vol. was bound up.5

Baillon in his recent histoire des Proteacées has adopted all my Genera but omitted Strangea.6 It seems to me now likely that Buckinghamia as Grevillea Buckinghamii ought to be placed among the true Grevilleas7

 

Buckinghamia

Glumaceae

Grevillea Buckinghamii

Monocotyledoneae

Restiaceae

Salsolaceae

Strangea

1
Bentham almost certainly sent proof sheets M to Q or R of Bentham (1863-78), vol. 5 (i.e. pp. 161-256) to M in May 1870; see G. Bentham to M, 15 April and 9 June1870. Chenopodiaceae (=Salsolaceae) genera are discussed on pp. 150-208. Comments on species that appeared on pages in these sheets have not been found.
2
M gave a lecture 'On the principles which rule the art of drawing plants from nature' to the Artisans' School of Design on 5 August 1870 (Argus, 6 August 1870, p. 5). On 3 November 1870 he delivered his lecture at the Technological Museum, published as B71.04.03 (see Argus, 4 November 1870, p. 5).
3
I have … some time is a marginal note with its intended position marked by an asterisk.
4
That is, the Annual Meeting of the Linnean Society of London, 24 May 1870, at which Bentham gave his Anniversary Address as President.
5
Presumably lithograms printed but not otherwise published after the two volumes of Plants indigenous to the colony of Victoria(B62.02.01, B65.13.04) appeared. Ewart (1910) includes plates drawn for but not published by M.
6
Baillon (1867/95), vol. 2, pp. 385-428; Strangea was erected by Meisner (1855), p. 66.
7
M erected Buckinghamia (B. celsissima) in B68.12.02, p. 247; there is no Grevillea buckinghamii listed in IPNI.

Please cite as “FVM-70-07-10a,” 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 26 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/70-07-10a