From Ferdinand von Mueller to Alphonse de Candolle   2 Oct 1873

Melbourne 2/10/73.

I felt extremely pleased, dear and honored friend, with your kind letter,¹ and shall always regard it as a high privilege to be in communication with you. Allow me to respond briefly to some of the objections, raised by you against some of the changes, which I proposed in the names of a few genera. Whatever may be the final view of phytographers about Candollea among Stylideae, there can be none concerning Candollea among Dilleniaceae, as it has not a single characteristic of its own & merges completely into Hibbertia. If however the law of priority is to be subject to exceptions, then the question arises, where are these exceptions to commence, and where to end.² "Nulla regula sine exceptione"³ could be well applied to the Thrixspermum of Loureiro on etymologic considerations, but Stylidium of that author is as clearly defined as Mallotus, Trema, Centipeda, Derris, Galeola, Phajus and many others, which have been all reestablished, involving great changes in names long in use. In the Euphorbiaceae of the prodromus⁴ (for instance) about 30 Rottleras became Mallotus species, altho' only one single Mallotus was named by Loureiro. So it was, as you are well aware, with Olearia, which, though counting but very few species, became the receptacle, of very numerous species of Eurybia, not to speak of many analogous cases. With Nageia instead of Podocarpus we had a similar case. In the great modesty, which caracterise all real sons of science, and so particularly your great father and yourself, I can last of all expect a consent from you on a question, in which your own pride and interest is concerned. The chronologic sequence of the genera Stylidium, Candollea &c I have however again established after the indications, given on the subject by your father. The oversight of the first Stylidium by Swartz can however not cause its annihilation without an additional and more weighty cause. Phyllachne was also forgotten, but that cannot save now Forstera of L. Fil.⁵ The difference between Caulinia of Moench & Kennedya of Ventenat, as regards their names, is only one year, but it would be unjust to sacrifice Moench's labors on that account. Bentham acting on an uniform equitable and unexceptional principle of primogeniture has quite rightly readopted Cnicus in its original sense, altho changing thereby probably as many Cirsium species in generic name, as I venture to alter names of Stylideous plants.

I look on this right of inheritage just in the same way, as in affairs of material business. Pray excuse the frankness of my remarks.

It is with regret, that I see the prodromus go to its close. There can and will never be a work, in which so many absolutely unknown plants are brought before the scientific work. I trust, that the heir of your name and fame will continue the glorious labors for the prodromus in monographic form with the help of his coetans.⁶ If for such monographies or any other researches I can send material from my Museum, it will be done with very much pleasure

Would you and your son honor me with sending me your autographic photogram for the series of picture-cards of illustrious correspondents.⁷

With deep veneration your

Ferd. von Mueller.

The review of the Austral Restiaceae in the new number of Fragmenta⁸ (now transmitted) may interest you.

Candollea

Caulinia

Centipeda

Cirsium

Cnicus

Derris

Dilleniaceae

Euphorbiaceae

Eurybia

Forstera

Galeola

Hibbertia

Kennedya

Mallotus

Nageia

Olearia

Phajus

Phyllachne

Podocarpus

Restiaceae

Rottlera

Stylideae

Stylidium

Trema