From Thomas Kirk to Ferdinand von Mueller   17 Jan 1872

Grafton Road

Auckland

17' Jany 1872

My dear Baron von Mueller

Three letters from you¹ remind me forcibly of something like carelessness on my part in neglecting to reply I have however been overworked and thoroughly ill therefrom, so that for a time all work, especially writing was necessarily laid aside.

Rhabdothamnus Solandri. I will endeavour to send a suite of specimens together with some other plants looked out for you. Dacrydium Kirkii Isoete &c &c

Hydrocotyle I think you already possess specn from the Great Barrier.:² has not your H. pterocarpa "winged" fruit? I will send specn of our plant.

Colensoa, is only found in the extreme north, I have none in cultivation.

Arundinaria macrosperma. — I can send you roots, but have no dried specn I will also forward roots of Rhabdothamnus as soon as the dry season is past.

I have never seen Rhabdothamnus more than 8 feet in height. When growing amongst shaded rocks it is usually laden with flowers and forms a striking object, but is obstinate enough under cultivation

When recovering I went to the Bay of Isds³ for a week or two but was unable to get about to any extent. I saw Ackama in flower, noble trees 70 feet high — with flowers resembling Spirea⁴ barbata and foliage surpassing Pyrus aucuparia wh it closely resembles My only other plant of note was Pittosporum pimeleoides (wh I now have under cultn⁵) it is united with P. reflexum by my P. Gilliesianum wh is intermediate

Next week I start for the hot lake country and hope to ascend Tongariro and Ruapahau ⁶ wh rise to 8,000f⁷ in the centre of the island

Believe me to be with kind regards

Yours truly

T. Kirk

Can you determine the enclosed rayless Anthemide for me⁸

Ackama

Anthemidae

Arundinaria macrosperma

Colensoa

Dacrydium Kirkii

Hydrocotyle pterocarpa

Isoete

Pittosporum Gilliesianum

Pittosporum pimeleoides

Pittosporum reflexum

Pyrus aucuparia

Rhabdochamnus

Rhabdothamnus Solandri

Spirea barbata