24/8/85
It is very pleasing to m[e]1, dear Dr Beccari, that my poor sending of dried plants proved acceptable to you. An other lot will be forwarded to you shortly.
Very few good spec. of Eucalyptus remain to be described, none of great importance Mr Bentham over-rated the number of species. In 1887 (deo volente2) I will give a supplemental Decade3
It is very interesting to note your observations on Normanbya. The opportunity of examining the Palms of N. E. Australia in their home has never arisen to me, and the material from collector’s was always very poor. Bentham is probably wrong about Livistona humilis; at all events the Livistona of Carpentaria and Arnhems Land rises to 60 feet!4. But Possibly RBr. may have only seen dwarf young specimens in flower and fruit. I have many Java plants from Miquel, who sent them to me from Utrecht in interchange. As I have also Blume’s works complete, I am able to determine most Papuan plants with critical accuracy. Bit I am inclined to give a wider scope for variability than many other workers on Malaian5 plants.
I am glad you cleared up Hooker’s error in confounding Nepenthes macrostachya and N. phyllamphora.6
When you meet the excellent Signor d’Albertis,7 pray give him my kind regard. The Chev. Guizueta de Taverena and his lady and her Sister will return to Italy next month. I shall miss these noble and high-minded people very much.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Eucalyptus
Livistona humilis
Nepenthes macrostachya
Nepenthes phyllamphora
Normanbya
Please cite as “FVM-85-08-24b,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/85-08-24b