To Edwin Jephcott   5 September 1877

5/9/77.

 

The Grevillea, sent by you, dear Mr Jephcott, is Grevillea ericifolia of Robert Brown. The Lobelia-like plant is Isotoma axillaris of Lindley, and — as you observed — it is more powerful even than L. inflata, indeed very poisonous even in a small dose. The work on the "plants of Victoria" is still in manuscript, as my Department is almost ruined, and I have no means of getting it printed and the woodcuts done.1

I examined twice the Mount Coskiusko2 range, in 1854 from the Maneroo-side,3 and 2 years ago from Mr Finlay's place.4 I had however to go up from the South East side of the Range, and never examined the north west portion, which is nearer to Walwa.5

If I took horses straight on to the North part, from Mr Watsons could one climb the range there on foot? and could I get any help in the district, so that I could camp out for a night with one or two companions?

I have not prospered after 30 years toil in Australia, and find that these journeys are too costly for my sole means. Among the granit hills is also much yet to be discovered as regards plants there, as I examined only the one near Mr Watsons and lost the spring vegetation. Try with your young son to make a good & full collection now of all the spring-plants there, including those of the rivers & lagoons & swamps!

Amongst the minutest plants would be most novelty.

Regardfully

Ferd. von Mueller

 

I found several plants, new to science on the granit mountains near you, but did not get the flowers

 

Grevillea ericifolia

Isotoma axillaris

Lobelia inflata

B79.13.08?
Mt Kosciusko, NSW.
Monaro, NSW. M's spelling was common at that time. For M's response to this first trip see B55.11.01.
M visited the upper Murray River region and the neighbouring mountains in January 1874; see M to J. Francis, 27 January 1874 (in this edition as 74-01-27a) and M to G. Bentham, 27 January 1874.
Vic.

Please cite as “FVM-77-09-05,” 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 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/77-09-05