4/11/79
Let me just say, dear Mr Buchanan,1 that Sol.2 aviculare proved fatal here to a big monkey, who had eaten a portion of its berries. The Gippsland Natives always avoid S. aviculare as poisonous, but eat with impunity those of S. vescum. The stems of the latter or rather the branches are much more angular & green not purplish dark, the flowers are somewhat different (particularly the stamens) and the berries are roundish, never eggshaped or orange colored. It may however not extend to your islands, though it may also most easily be overlooked.3
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller.
Solanum aviculare
Solanum vescum
John Buchanan (1819-1898).
Solanum.
MS annotation probably by Buchanan: 'Solanum vescum may also be found in New Zealand, growing along with Solanum aviculare. It may be distinguished from the latter by the more angular dark green branches darker coloured flowers with somewhat different stamens. Berries smaller roundish green never egg shaped, o[r] orange coloured when ripe'. See also M to J. Buchanan, 7 October 1879, and Buchanan (1880a), p. 380.
Please cite as “FVM-79-11-04,” 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