New Norfolk.2
25th Sept 1886.
Sir
During some Government Exploring work through the country situated between the Townships of New Norfolk and Victoria on the Huon River, I discovered an Eucalyptus quite unknown to me, and cannot determine it otherwise than a species new to the Island.
I forward per post leaves and fruit to ask for your scientific determination and sincerely hope I am not troubling you with something before known to the botany of Tasmania.
The tree was first met with on a saddle of the Mt Wellington Range, due north & south from the two townships, growing at an altitude of about 2000 feet above sea level; here it attained a height of 100 feet with a diameter of two feet, but on decending to a lower level the growth was more luxuriant, many of the trees measuring four feet six inches to five feet through, and towering above the ground two hundred feet in height, some with straight stems one hundred feet without a limb.
The bark is smooth & is of a red or chocolate color, but where lately shed is mottled with yellow streaks or blotches.
The wood is extremely hard close grained, tough in fibre and of a light, red color; it is exceedingly heavy, and will I think equal in durability our famous blue gum.
It is surprising to me that its habitat being in the heart of civilized parts, that it is quite unknown to any of the saw mill proprieters or residents of the above named districts.
It is my intention to write a short paper on the discovery for our Royal Society,3 but first solicit your kindly aid as to whether the species belongs to any of the colonies, and as to the proper name it should bear if your investigations prove it new to the Flora of Australia.
I had a conversation with Mr Surveyor Brown prior to his departure for Barren Island where he is at present exploring, relative to the want of knowledge of the Flora of that part, expressed in your kind favor of last June4 and he promised for the sake of science to use his observation and obtain specimens of the different plants unknown to him.
Accept my kindest regards
And believe me to be
Ever yours faithfully
T B Moore
Baron Ferd. Von Mueller KCMG.
Melbourne
Victoria
Please cite as “FVM-86-09-25a,” 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/86-09-25a