To George Bentham   21 March 1874

Melbourne

21/3/74.

 

Since I last wrote to you, dear Mr Bentham, I have been to the Gellibrand-River, west of Cape Otway, where I obtained many new localities for rare plants, and discovered as new for Victoria the Dicksonia davallioides (on the Johanna-River), also Ehrharta distichophylla. I had two most narrow escapes from snakebites.

Sonchus maritimus was also found and a few other plants, not yet recorded as introduced. Novelties I could hardly expect to gain, as I was on a more eastern (but not very distant) route to Cape Otway in 1857.

My position has as yet in no way improved. I am still with only £300 working expenses for the whole Department & without buildings. The rent for the latter in this expensive country would alone absorb[e] the £300.

Simultaneously with the Prussian Fregatte Arconahas arrived the "Challenger", which has given me the pleasureable opportunity of becoming acquainted with Prof. Wyville Thomson and Mr Moseley & my special countryman (from Schleswig) Dr von Wilemoes-Suhm.1 The Challenger will be only here for two weeks, one of which is elapsed. What little in so short a space of time can be done for these excellent men & others, shall be done. I met also Prof. Balfour's son, a marine officer on board of the Challenger.2

I have not heard of you by the last two mails, but trust that you passed in your usual health through the winter.

Regardfully yr

Ferd. von Mueller.

 

I have found on Mount Emu in a small pond a Wolffia, which I have sent to Dr Hegelmaier for identification or description3

 

25/3/74

 

Will you kindly support the election of the Chevaliér Will. H. Archer, our Registrar General & also President of the Microscopic Society of Victoria as a FLS. Mr Kippist has a remittance of £7 already sent him by this mail through the Bank of Australasia in London obtainable4

 

Dicksonia davallioides

Ehrharta distichophylla

Sonchus maritimus

Wolffia

 
 
1
R. von Willemoes-Suhm.
2
In his Journal Andrew Balfour noted that 'Baron von Mueller called on me as requested to do by the governor he seems decidedly cranky' (Royal Geographical Society, Archives, LBR. MSS. no. 1: 'Private Journal HMS Challenger from 12th September 1873 to 16th September 1874. Andrew F Balfour'). By ‘the governor’, Balfour presumably meant his father, the Edinburgh botanist J. H. Balfour. See also M to J. Balfour, 25 March 1874 and 18 April 1874.
3
Wolffia arrhiza var. australiana was described in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 7, p. 162 from material collected by M at Emu Creek. See also B74.07.01, pp. 187-8.
4
A nomination certificate for Archer, signed by M 'by letter', Joseph Hooker and George Bentham was read on 4 June 1874, and he was elected at the meeting of 5 November 1874 (Linnean Society, London, Certificates of Fellows, Foreign Members and Associates, 1871-76). The certificate is annotated 'Notice sent via Southtn [&] Pt. d. Galle Nov. 18/74'.

Please cite as “FVM-74-03-21,” 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/74-03-21