Memorandum
FROM JAS. F. ROBERTS, PRACTICAL GARDENER, NURSERYMAN AND SEEDSMAN, YORK NURSERY, UNION STREET AND COTHAM ROAD, KEW.1 |
Sept 9th 1881 To Baron Von Mueller |
Dear Sir —
Many thanks for your kind not[e] in re the Queensland Orchid. I find there are several Liparis principally terestrial but the one you name I do not find in any catalogue do you think it has been introduced to Kew Gardens (England) yet Enclosed please find another Queensland Orchid. I had it as Dendrobe2 gracile it grows on slender Pseudo Bulbs 12 to 18 inches high has 4 leaves generally on the summit same as I send you these flowers I send are paler than one plant I have the outside is considerably more spotted Red or Redish Brown interior darkish yellow green trusses longer than this a little and certainly looks both novel & handsome the spotting outside being very distinct in fact I think a good plant of it would be really very handsome — will you tell me in what work are the Orchids of Australia so far as known are described for I should very much like to see it. I am expecting a case from Mr Shaw Port Dennison3 from whom I had a very kind letter and promised me what he could find — one person whom I wrote to sends me word that he has on hand Calanthe alba-australis4 & verratrifolia5 are these distinct then Phaius alba6 & Sulphurea7 is not P. alba the same as Calanthe alba8 — again, Saccolabium Hillii & Persoonia9 are these correct & distinct again Cymbedium10 Suave, Encifolia,11 & Gigantea,12 are these correct & any good so far as flowering plants go or merely of Bot interest. — pray Excuse me Baron if I am putting you to any troble with my questions if you have but little time on your hand dont mind them I however shall be glad of the name of Enclosed with very kind regards from Mrs R & Self
I am Dear Sir
yours very truly
Jas F Roberts
Kew
Calanthe alba
Calanthe alba-australis
Calanthe verratrifolia
Cymbedium Encifolia
Cymbedium Gigantea
Cymbedium Suave
Dendrobe gracile
Liparis
Phaius alba
Phaius Sulphurea
Saccolabium Hillii
Saccolabium Persoonia
Melbourne.
Dendrobium?
Port Denison, now Bowen, Qld.
The name Calanthe alba-australis has not been found (IPNI accessed 30 January 2021).
C. veratrifolia?
albus?
The name Phaius sulphurea has not been found, but there is a Calanthe sulphurea (IPNI accessed 30 January 2021).
The Calanthe alba listed in IPNI was described in 2009.
The name Saccolabium persoonia has not been found (IPNI accessed 30 January 2021).
Cymbidium?
C. ensifolium?
C. giganteum?
MS found with a specimen of Dendrobium gracicaule (MEL 624133). MS annotation by M: 'Answ 10/9/81'. Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-81-09-09,” 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