19/3/79
I was pleased, dear Mr Buchanan,1 to get your letter of the 10th2 & the specimen of the supposed Zannichellia.3 It is probably Lepilaena, (as I predicted formerly the N.Z. plant to be); — but the main-differences between Zannichellia & Lepilaena consist in the ♂-flowers. These you will find easily all the year round in your clime, if you look for the swollen bases of the leaves, by which they are invaginated. You may perhaps find the male flowers on plants distinct from the female specimens. The cyperoid plant is a Carex, (allied to Carex Colensoi,) to which I like for specific distinction to attach your honored name; but for writing a good diagnosis of this species in contrast with the numerous congeners, it is needful that perfectly ripe fruits should be secured.4 It belongs to the section with two stigmas. Meanwhile you may have occasion to mention at the N.Z. Institute's meeting, that thus an other plant had been added to the N.Z. Flora and the same may be said of Mesembrianthemum aequilaterale.
With regardful remembrance
Ferd. von Mueller.
I find that I have no specimen of Carex Colensoi for comparison.
What is the cause of Mr Kirk, whom I believe to be an excellent teacher, to cede from his Professorship?, as I have lately heard.5
Carex Colensoi
Lepilaena
Mesembrianthemum aequilaterale
Zannichellia
John Buchanan (1819-1898).
Letter not found.
See M to J. Buchanan, 23 January 1879.
Carex buchananii was named not by M but by Berggren, in 1880, based on a collection he made in February 1874 in the Canterbury Province.
Thomas Kirk lectured in natural sciences at Wellington College, at that time affiliated to the University of New Zealand. In 1879 a royal commission advocated the separation of university and secondary education. Kirk's appointment was terminated because he represented university rather than secondary-school interests, but the college raised funds to retain his services for a further year. He then moved to a lectureship at the Lincoln School of Agriculture, Canterbury [NZDB].
MS annotations: 'Carex buchanani F. Muell 19 March 1879' and 'Date | Carex Buchanani | Zannichella is probably Lepilaena'.
Please cite as “FVM-79-03-19a,” 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