To William Thiselton-Dyer   8 May 1882

8/5/82

By this mail, dear Mr Dyer, I have forwarded photograms of:

Macrozamia Denisonii ♀ from the Daintree-River.¹

M. spiralis ♂ & ♀ from Port Jackson²

Cycas Normanbyana ♂ from the Normanby Ranges³ (two forms)

C. Kennedyana ♂ from the Normanby Ranges.⁴

Some of these you had before. The Photogram of the fruit of M. Denisonii was made from a specimen, obtained from a tall tree in North-Queensland, where Mr Hill got his Katakidozamia Hopei;⁵ but I can see nothing in it but a form of M. Denisonii. It stands to reason, that the difference in the temperature of N.S. Wales & N. Queensland must affect greatly the plant, and irrespective of this we note even in any conservatory such a difference in the foliage of young and old palms, that allowance must be made for the shorter leaves of M. Denisonii according to age and locality.⁶

Whether M. spiralis is the real Salisburian plant can only be ascertained in herbaria, which contain leaves of the specimen, which he saw in culture, he not having given a figure. Willdenow seems to have merely copied his diagnosis; but Salisbury may have had a fuller account, which then is inaccessible to me, as I have not his “prodromus”.⁷ His diagnosis seems to apply rather to M. tridentata, than to M. spiralis, as we understood it. RBr. had evidently not M. tridentata in view, but included in his Z. spiralis also M. Fraseri. M. tridentata is rather an inland species now, still it occurs within 15 miles of Sydney, and it may have been common enough in the earliest days of settlement, at the very places, where Sydney was subsequently built. Perhaps Sir William Hooker, as the collaborator of Salisbury in the Paradisus⁸ (though not prodromus) may have an authentic specimen of Salisbury’s Z. spiralis in his herbarium, or S.’s collection of dried plants may even yet [be]⁹ otherwise accessible. Of course even a glance on a leaf would show, which of the two he meant. The leaves of M. tridentata are more twisted than those of M. spiralis. Anyhow, it would not be well to change the name of [Z].¹⁰ spiralis now.¹¹ From various places of N. S. Wales specimens of Macrozamiae will be rendered accessible to me soon, as Mr Moore had Mr Betche as a collector in the field for some month; and he was specially desired to look also to any Zamias. But Mr Moore as Vice President of the R.S.¹² of NSW. desires to read his own observations on Cycadeae first before the Society, and then will pass the material on to me, and you can then from here be supplied. Of course I do not like to appear, as if I was going to “take the bread out of his mouth”.¹³ The Ship, which brings RBr’s specimens has just arrived; but it will be some days, before I shall get possession of this valuable and extensive sending, so that only by next mail I shall be able to report, whether, as I hope, all arrived safely and well.¹⁴ Meanwhile my best thanks. I am musing how to get out of my debt, though I have sent Cycas stems &c &c,¹⁵ and shall have other consignments horticulturally to forward.

With regardful remembrance

Ferd. von Mueller.

Cycas Kennedyana

Cycas Normanbyana

Katakidozamia Hopei

Macrozamia Denisonii

Macrozamia Fraseri

Macrozamia spiralis

Macrozamia tridentata

Zamia

Zamia spiralis