From Ferdinand von Mueller to James Agnew   26 Jan 1875

Melbourne

26/1/75

I thank you for your kind letter, dear Dr Agnew, and will gladly avail myself of the new concession, which you make for some space in the R. S.¹ publication for me. I intend to go tomorrow for a week to Tasmania, to examine some ranges back of Circular Head, to which — so I believe — Dr Milligan's searches did not extend, though he went to the Surrey-hills. I need absolutely a change of air, and have chosen for accomplishing that a short voyage to your N. coast. This may give some additional material for a new contribution, and Mr Johnston of Launceston will also kindly place his new alpine collections at my disposal. On that occasion the error in regard to the supposed southern locality of Cyathea medullaris can also be corrected.² But, my dear Doctor, I should be so glad to see a fruit-frond of the tree-fern (the slender one) of Port Davey also so that it may be included in the list.

The Census,³ which I offered for the next issue of your journal, would in first instance consist merely of a list of the genuine species known as indigenous to Tasmania, with one single quotation of the work in which the plant is described in the most modern works. That list is all but ready, as I have nearly finished the examination of the Cyperaceae, that being the last order required to be examined for the purpose, except the lower cryptogamae, which need not appear in the list. This index can be followed up in an other year or so by other statistic notes. I can send it in the course of February. The Rev. Jul. Woods, with whom I am befriended, could hardly have managed it, because though the list might be extracted from the Flora Australiensis,⁴ yet it should be improved on in arrangement of the orders, besides it would contain many plants, whose names need to be changed and it would omit the new and additional species, which I have to offer.

Very regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller.

Cyathea medullaris

Cyperaceae