The plant sent by Mr. Thos. Hanson, of Glen Thompson,2 as probably poisonous is botanically known as Minuranthes3 gnaphaloides, and belongs to a tribe of plants (gnaphaloid compositae) not known to be deleterious. Your correspondent might readily put this question at rest by feeding a sheep for some days exclusively on this herb. The sample submitted to me is far too small for any chemical tests.
Obediently,
Ferd. Von Mueller.
Melbourne Botanical Gardens, 8th December.
Minuranthes gnaphaloides
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'A suspected poison plant', Leader, 16 December 1871. p. 7 (B71.12.05). M's text follows a letter from T. Hanson to the Leader, enclosing a plant suspected of poisoning sheep, and is introduced by 'Having submitted the specimens sent to Baron von Mueller, that gentleman has kindly vouchsafed the following reply:—'.
Vic.
Typesetter's misreading of Minuranthus?
Please cite as “FVM-71-12-08a,” 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