[Wie uns Herr Baron v. Muller unter dem 17. Marz schreibt, ist unter den Pflanzen, welche jene Gewächse am Berge Bellenden Ker begleiten, auch Helmholtzia (eine Monokotyledone aus der kleinen mit den Commelinaceae etwas verwandten Familie der Philydraceae), die zwischen 1300—1600' vorkommt und einen dichten Schilfwuchs bildet, in so vorwaltender Menge, dass diese Massen schwer zu durchdringen sind. Ferd. von Muller hat diese Gattung s. Z.1 dem Geh. Rat Helmholtz gewidmet, in ganz besonderer Anerkennung seiner Untersuchungen über die Tone, denn F. v. Muller ist nicht bloss leidenschaftlicher Botaniker, sondern auch grosser Freund der Musik und des Gesanges, er ist gegenwärtig sogar Vice-Präsident der Melbourner Liedertafel.]
[As Baron v. Muller writes to us under the 17th of March, among the plants that accompany the growth on Mt Bellenden Ker2 there is also Helmholtzia (a monocotyledon of the small family of the Philydraceae, somewhat related to the Commelinaceae), which occurs between 1300' and 1600' and forms a dense reed bed in such predominating numbers that these masses are hard to penetrate. Ferd. von Muller named this genus for at-the-time Privy Councillor Helmholtz in particular recognition of his investigations of sound,3 for F. v. Muller is not only a passionate botanist but also a great friend of music and singing; he is currently even Vice-President of the Melbourne Liedertafel.]
Commelinaceae
Helmholtzia
Philydraceae
seiner Zeit.
Qld.
M hade erected Helmholtzia (H. acorifolia) in B66.12.04, p. 202, where the dedication is 'Professori Hermanno Helmholtz, Opthalmologiae heroi, summa veneratione tribuo’ [I ascribe with the greatest respect to Professor Hermann Helmholtz, a hero of Ophthalmology].
Letter not found. The text given here is from Gartenflora, vol. 36, p. 420 (1887). The passage follows a report of the description of Rhododendron lochae and other species in the Victorian Naturalist for March 1887 (i.e. B87.03.06). Although it is possible that this passage is based on an additional sheet sent with M to E. Regel, 17 March 1887, it is treated here, because of the uncertainty, as a separate communication.
Please cite as “FVM-87-03-17a,” 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