Hobart,
4 Decr 1881.
Dear Baron,
I send you herewith a pinna of a fern, a cyathea I think; but not medullaris, unless I am much mistaken. This leaf was procured by Mr Stephens our Inspector of Schools — from Long Bay, in D'Entrecasteaux channel, about 301 miles from Hobart. A son of the late Lt Grove who has property at Long Bay found a patch of these fern trees which are about 9 feet high. He took Mr Stephens, to the spot, and the latter sent the Pinna to me to compare with the living specimens of Tasmanian Ferns in my fernery, where there are growing 51 Tasmanian ferns as described by Bentham.
I think the fern is new to Tasmania. The pinna is damaged and crushed, but I can with a glass make out the cup like involucre, which is wanting in the Alsophilas. The old leaves adhere to the tree as with the Cyathea, and Mr Stephens tells me that the trunk of the tree is thicker than that of the Cyathea medullaris which he has seen growing in the north of the Island.
I have not overlooked your suggestion as to the Lighthouse Keepers collecting & drying specimens of plants & I hope to be able to give effect to it.
I am, dear Baron
Faithfully yours
W. L. Dobson.
P.S. Mr Stephens is now travelling on duty, if he should have sent you a frond of this fern or part of one do not trouble to answer this, a reply to him will be as satisfactory as one to myself
Alsophila
Cyathea medullaris
Please cite as “FVM-81-12-04,” 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