Melbourne
7/11/73
Allow me to ask you, dear Dr Gray, whether of poor Horace Mann's collections of Hawaian plants still any are available through purchase or other wise. The reason for this inceremonious question is simply, that of late I have become particularly interested in the polynesian Flora. I always liked to be informed on the subject, as the plants of the pacific islands bear manyfold relations to those of tropical Australia; but I had occasion to write a chapter on the plants of the New Hebrides for a volume of a young friend, who went there for his health last year, and who on my suggestion picked up a number of plants there.1 This led me to put into some order all the plants from the various groups, which I possess; but I have only some ferns from Hawaia, sent me by Dr. Hillebrand (a personal friend of mine early in life) about a dozen years ago. Poor Hor. Mann promised me a number of plants from there, but death overtook the young and excellent and promising man early.2 I do not wish to tax you with troubles or ask you for gifts. All I want from your kindness to learn, whether I can purchase any plants ready anywhere. That would save also my time of effecting a return-sending.
Of course I possess your great Work on Wilkes's Expedit.3 Poor Seemanns volume4 is also a great help for studies of the polynesian Vegetation. Let me also kindly be informed, how I can get any stray essays or any parts of the publications of your Academy bearing on polynesian plants.
Besides I should be glad to learn, whether you are perhaps engaged on any studies of plants from any of the islands. I fancy you are not, as you have in California a nearer & a more fruitful field. The S. Sea Islands are much with us in communication now, and thus often questions arise before me officially concerning their plants. Thus I ought to be posted well up on them.
Did I send you the 7th vol of the Fragmenta?5 I will forward my essay (a very short one)6 by next post, as it is only as yet partly printed.
Always with deep regards your
Ferd. von Mueller.
My Agents in London are Mess. C. Blackith & Co., Coxs Quay, Lower Thames Street.
Any spare time I have I now devote to Glumaceae for volume VII of Bentham's work.7
Please cite as “FVM-73-11-07,” 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