To Joseph Hooker   3 May 1885

3/5/85

 

Herewith the duplicate of the bill of lading, dear Sir Joseph, concerning the two growing stems of Xanthorrhoea australis sent.1

As regards the system. position of Fropiera, I still think that it belongs to the Cohors of Guttiferae, if not to that order.2 Dotted leaves, as you are well aware, occur also in Mammea; the sessile stigma points also to Guttiferae; while the seeds are tessellated and minute as in Hypericum & Elatine. I had some idea, to write a few notes on this genus, but rather leave the consideration of the matter to yourself. This might be a good opportunity for your nobile3 Laboratory cooperators to investigate, whether any diagnostic differences between the oilglands of Myrtaceae and Hypericinae could be found out, which likely exist. The dots of Hypericum are rather resin- than oil-dots so that in this respect Fropiera would require examination chemically and optically.

With best regards

Ferd. von Mueller.

 

Elatine

Fropiera

Guttiferae

Hypericinae

Hypericum

Mammea

Xanthorrhoea

1
See M to J. Hooker, 24 May 1885.
2
See M to J. Hooker, 27 January 1885.
3
i.e. noble.

Please cite as “FVM-85-05-03,” 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 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/85-05-03