From Archibald McDowall to Ferdinand von Mueller   21 Feb 1883

Queensland

Maryborough

21 Feby 1883.

My dear Baron,

Re the Encephalartos Douglasii As far as I know it has no woolly substance on the base of the leaf stalks — but the young leaves (and indeed sometimes the older ones) have a tendency to spiral curvature, but slight — and not noticed until you asked the question —

I have examined three specimens only with this spiral growth in view — one is in my own garden & two others in a friends, but they all show a slight tendency, but very slight towards the corkscrew form — none of the 3 specimens examined are full grown —

"Coolbine" is the aboriginal name — and the aborigines often used the leaves to make temporary Gunyah's or mi-mias¹ — the leaves being inverted for the purpose except a few of the outside & top ones, i.e. the ones which are put on the top layer of thatch —

I think I shall be able to send you, soon, a specimen from the main land so nearly approaching the Fraser Island² one that it will only be a botanist that will detect any difference — but I cannot promise definitely as I have lately been disappointed³

I should like to get a few of the extra prints of the description of the Encephalartos Douglasii⁴ — if you can let me have them please

I remain

yours sincerely

A. McDowall

P.S.

In parts of Fraser Island — inland — there are extensive collections of Zamias — so much so that I dont think there is any danger of their extermination, for they have no economic commercial value, nor are they destroyed by fire — also they are heavy to carry & a little difficult of transportation

If a quantity of them were required, I should think they could be del[ivered] in Maryborough at 10/. each, but a less number than hundreds would cost more — but any reasonable number that you might want for scientific purposes I could probably send you almost free of charge.

A McD⁵

Encephalartos Douglasii

Zamia