From Patrick O'Shanesy to Ferdinand von Mueller   25 Mar 1878

Blackwater Q.N.R.¹

March 25 1878

Dear Baron Mueller

I am in receipt of your note of Jany. 8th² and would have written sooner but having nothing of importance to communicate. I shall have a look out for the Limnocharis³ about which you are so anxious altho there are but few lagoons or swamps in the neighbourhood. I enclose a fragment of a very common Acacia here, but which I cannot identify with any of the described species unless it be your A. Daintreana.⁴ (A excelsa Benth.)

The pod, of which I enclose fragments, is 3-4 inches long. It is a tree approaching to 90 feet with a thick, rough deeply furrowed bark, and it exudes a large quantity of gum; the wood is of a deep pink color in the centre. It is very common in the open country about the Comet River.

I have just noticed your little Hibiscus brachysiphonius here, with pedicels six inches in length. Your Acacia basaltica is very shy of fruiting altho it flowers profusely, the flowers are golden yellow.

I can get no fruit whatever from Eremophila Latrobei. I have not yet had an opportunity of taking a run over Expedition Range a spur of which is within four or five miles of Blackwater, and where I am sure some rare if not new plants must occur. I find in looking over your letters that I have repeated Nos. 2044 and 2045 the former in Eremophila Latrobei and the latter in Bauhinia Carronii, The first no. 2044 is a Hibiscus, and no. 2045 an Abutilon the names of which as well as the following Nos. you have not sent me Viz —

You would greatly oblige by sending me the names of the above Nos. as I am very anxious about them. I will send you a few more specimens in a few day's time, I am anxiously waiting the new vol. of the Flora Austral.⁵

I am Dear Baron

Yours very faithfully

P. A. O.'Shannessy⁶

Abutilon

Acacia basaltica

Acacia excelsa

Bauhinia Carronii

Capparis

Cassia

Acacia Daintreana

Eremophila Latrobei

Hibiscus brachysiphonius

Limnocharis

Loranthus

Pimelea