To James Agnew   25 February 1875

Melbourne

25/2/75.

 

This day, dear Dr Agnew, I received from the Office of the Consul General of America the specimen of Alsophila, transmitted on loan to me, and which now I gratefully return. It is that variety of Alsophila excelsa, which in Gardens passes as Als. Cooperi. It is known from a few places of East Australia, and seems to occur also in one mountain-range of this colony, from whence however I have not yet seen fruit-specimens.

Unfortunately I have mislaid that part of the R.S. proceedings, in which Mr Scotts fern is mentioned;1 hence I remain unaware, whether the honorable Gentleman noted the singularly pale scales on the base of the frond stalkes, characteristic of Alsophila excelsa or at least its variety A. Cooperi. The portion of the specimen secured does not exhibit any scales.

In the Census list2 this Alsophila should be inserted now next to A. australis as: Alsophila excelsa (R. Br. pr. 158) 3 var. Cooperi.

With regardful

remembrance

Ferd. von Mueller

 

Alsophila Cooperi

Alsophila excelsa

 
1
J. Scott(1872).
2
B75.13.10.
3
Brown (1810) p. 158.

Please cite as “FVM-75-02-25,” 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/75-02-25