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From Ferdinand von Mueller to William Haig   22 Sep 1877

22/9/77.

I redeem my promise dear Dr Haig, to dedicate to you as a permanent mark of respect a new plant. It came from the western part of the great bight.1 The specimen of this new everlasting is a poor one, but the species is pretty and well worthy of your honored name.2

Regardfully

Ferd von Mueller

1

Great Australian Bight.

2

In publishing Helipterum Haigii in B77.10.02, p. 107, M described Haig as 'amico … studiorum meorum fautori benignissimo' [a most benign friend and supporter of my studies].

3

MS is accompanied by an official 'On Her Majesty's Service | GOVERNMENT BOTANIST, Melbourne' envelope addressed to 'Dr Haig, J. P. &c Emerald Hill.'

A specimen of Helipterum Haigii is enclosed with the letter, with one of M's specimen labels: 'Helipterum Haigii F.v.M. Near Port Eucla. Richards.' The collector was almost certainly Police Trooper Thomas Richards of Fowler's Bay, SA, who collected many specimens for M near Eucla in 1877.

Please cite as “FVM-77-09-22a,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/77-09-22a