To Edward Ramsay   29 May 1886

29/5/86

Though extremely pressed for time just now, dear Dr Ramsay, I have looked over Mr Bennetts¹ plants at once, and as it may be some encouragement to him, send the list, so far as it could be written after a mere glance on the specimen. Please, do not speak of the alterations, which I was obliged to make in Dr Woolls' naming, as I do not wish to hurt the feelings of our venerable friend, whose eyesight is probably failing. As you say, such specimens serve for interchanges abroad after careful naming; besides they offer new notes of localities. Mr Bennett should collect all minute annuals in the spring also, as well as any aquatic plants, if ever so small, and note precise localities. We know so little of the Algs of the East-coast, that any additions from Fraser's Isl.² and other places will be welcome. The supposed Ajohnia,³ sent by Mr Whitelegge, I take to be a Cladophora.

I named hurriedly also some of Mr Steels numbered plants, as that might encourage him to collect. The black Fungus, sent by him, is a Xylaria.

If Capt Strachan will dry any kinds of plants, particularly aquatics at Cambridge-Gulf or elsewhere,⁴ I will valuate and purchase them, when he returns; much they would not fetch anywhere; the specimens should be as well in fruit as in flower, whenever possible, or fruiting specimens are as valuable as flowering ones. From the enclosed print he would see, that credit would be given him for any discovery. The departmental means are so scanty here and so taxed, that the sending of any collector is quite out of the question.

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller.

Let Mr Steel kindly know, that while I work on Papuan plants, I shall always take up also collaterally the Polynesian congeners, so that whenever any thing remarkable is among those from Fiji, &c &c., they will in time be justice done to.

Mr Bennett would be able to correct the names and add to them yet.⁵

Ajohnia

Cladophora

Xylaria