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From Archibald McDowall to Ferdinand von Mueller   7 Mar 1883

Queensland

Department of Public Lands,

District Survey Office, Maryborough

7th March 1883

MEMORANDUM:

To Baron Von Mueller K.C.M.G.

Melbourne

Re Encephalartos Douglasii

Macrozamia Douglasii (or Coolbine of Fraser Island)

Upon Reexamination I find the stem rarely reaches three (3) feet in height above ground two (2) feet six (6) inches being the usual size of the large specimens — though reaching four (4) feet underneath the surface. I measured one specimen 2 ft 9½ in above ground1 Diameter of stem fifteen (15) inches Greatest length of leaves seven (7) feet. These may be considered the dimensions of the largest specimens

Cannot find any wool

There may be said to be no spiral curvature worth mentioning — either lateral or longitudinal — the young leaves growing up straight & closed like the palms. I send some young leaves tied with the others — but they have been cut too short and are falling asunder.

A. McDowall2

P.S. I have sent 34 gals methyld3 spirit to Miva Crossing4 and Orphant5 tells me he has one Ceratodus 2½ feet long

Encephalartos Douglasii

Macrozamia Douglasii

1

'I measured … above ground' marginal addition by McDowall:.

2

See also A. McDowall to M, 21 February 1883, and A. McDowall to M, 7 March 1883.

3

methylated.

4

Qld.

5

James Orphant, licensee of Miva Hotel.

Please cite as “FVM-83-03-07a,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/83-03-07a