To Joseph Hooker   24 April 1885

24/4/85. 1

 

Our autumn here, dear Sir Joseph, is the best time for lifting Xanthorrhoeas; so I have procured 2 about 120 miles from Melbourne and send them now quite fresh by the "Garrone" packed in a strong close case; Mr Dyer having expressed a wish to be supplied for Kew with any of the species.2 The one, now sent, is the true X. australis.

Regardfully

your

Ferd. von Mueller.

 

X. australis needs heathy-moory sand-soil, which from time to time should be renewed otherwise the plant simply dies from exhaustion.

 

Xanthorrhoea australis

1
MS annotations And June 22/85' [letter not found] and Two stems of Xanthorrhoea australis arrd at Kew ex S.S. "Garonne" June 20th 1885. They are apparently in perfectly healthy condition W.W. [presumably William Watson, assistant curator from 1885].
2
Letter not found but see M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 25 January 1885 (in this edition as 85-01-25a).

Please cite as “FVM-85-04-24,” 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 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/85-04-24