To Miles Berkeley   15 April 1875

Melbourne

15/4/75

At last, rev. and venerable friend, I have succeeded after almost endless writings to obtain from one of the localities of the Horse-hair fungus fruiting specimens through the persevering circumspectness of Mrs Mary Hogdkinson, residing on the Richmond River in New South Wales. It seems to be a true Agaricus or belongs perhaps to one of the genera by modern writers separated. This fungus is now known from East Gipps-land,¹ where it grows on the Branches of Aster argophyllus (Taylor), near Sydney (Ramsay), Richmond River (Mrs Hodgkinson), Rockingham's Bay² (Lieut. Armit). I have not dissected it, as there are only the few pilei, all now transmitted, which I did not like to break up, they being so small. If therefore this species should be new and not belong to Agaricus in the sense of recent writers, then — pray — do not mention the name, under which I would propose to render it known with our united authority.³

I shall be glad to have your opinion on this remarkable plant

With deep regards

always your

Ferd. von Mueller

Agaricus

Aster argophyllus