From Ferdinand von Mueller to Paolo Dattari   14 Apr 1886

14/4/86.

In reply to your note,¹ dear Mr Dattari, let me say, that when botanic works are written, we must draw the distinction between popular and strictly professional ones, and must adopt for the former the most easily understood terms, while for the latter the precise scientific terms are used. In this sense we can in popular works speak of "fruits" or "fructifications" of ferns, whereas the term sori would be used in exact scientific writing for fruit-masses of ferns. However different the development of fruits of ferns, Characeae or any other acotyledonous order of plants may be from that of cotyledonar plants, they are still fruits in the wide popular sense of the words. In Hookers² and other standard works the term fruit has not been altogether excluded from ferns; the sporangia are often called capsules, altho' that designation rigorously defined could only be used for certain kinds of fruits of Mono and Dicotyledoneae. We do not wish to frighten beginners with using too many strictly botanic terms; thus I substituted in popular writings of mine "stalklet" for pedicel, fruitlet (a word coined by me) for carpel &c.³ Let me advise you to wait for a few days with your publishing on Vict ferns, as you could then see how I have treated them in the explanations of the woodcuts, now all printed for the "Key".⁴ Probably some early copies of the 200 woodcuts of the "Key" will be distributed at the annual meeting of the Club.⁵ The word "seed" should never be used for cryptogamous plants, altho σπορα and σπερμα are both used in greek for what in latin is semen in english 'seed'

Regardfully your

Ferd von Mueller

What bears spores must be fertile as from them arise the young plants again

Characeae

Dicotyledoneae

Monocotyledoneae