16/4/83.
The convolvulaceous plant, dear Prof. Tate, to which Leschenault referred, is clearly the minute state of Convolvulus erubescens. You will see it with other starved states of plants, such as from Boerhaavia, also on the dry clay plains between Adelaide and the Port. Choisy gives distinctly Kangaroo-Island1 as the locality, when describing it as C. acaulis from Leschenaults specimens.2
I do not think, that Desfontaines described any Kangaroo Isl. plants. He simply made a few selections from the W.A. pl. of Baudin's Expedition. If I can find any others, I will let you know.
I think, that I mentioned to you already the fact of Bonpland having at the Empress Josephine's Garden raised Euc. santalifolia from seeds gathered at Kangaroo-Island during Baudin's Expedition. He named it, while — as garden-plants often do — it flowered in a young state with many opposite leaves Euc. diversifolia, a name not applying to the well developed plant.3
Most of Leschenaults plants remained unpublished up to the present day, though doubtless they have all been identified. Mr Bentham examined many in Paris for the Flora. I never had acess to Leschenaults work. Very likely Atherosperma occurs in the gullies of Kings Island,4 with Phyllocladus. I paid £5 for the few plants from Kings Island, to redeem my promise, and yet I get no more.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
I wrote 2 letters last week to get more plants from Kings Island &c5
Please cite as “FVM-83-04-16a,” 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