26/8/87.
It is incumbent on me, dear Mr Buchanan,1 to tender you my gratefulness for your having named such a handsome Ranunculus after myself.2 I feel quite proud of this, particularly as I studied in Scandinavia and Germany from 1840-1846 the many species indigenous there. As I should be so sorry, to loose such a beautiful and lasting souvenir of yours, I would suggest that the name be changed to R. Baronis, because an Australian alpine species, discovered by me in 1854 and confirmed by me in 1873, bears already my name.3 Could you kindly send me a specimen of your supposed Gastrodia?4 It is, to judge from your delineation, not a genuine species of that genus, but likely belongs to Prasophyllum, and may not be different from one of several large Austral. species.5 Should you have specimens in fl. or fruit of any N.Z. Ranunculus to spare, I would in your interest send them to a monographer in Bohemia6
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller.
Gastrodia
Prasophyllum
Ranunculus Baronis
John Buchanan (1819-1898).
See Buchanan (1887), where Ranunculus muelleri is described on pp. 215-6 and illustrated in plate 16.
i.e. Ranunculus muelleri in Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, p. 13. Buchanan's name was not changed as M suggested and is treated as a synonym of R. insignia (New Zealand flora (accessed 15 January 2020)).
Gastrodia hectori, in Buchanan (1887), p. 214, plate 15.
See New Zealand flora (accessed 15 January 2020).
Karl Prantl? See M to A. Engler, 25 December 1887. The monograph of Ranunculaceae appeared as Prantl (1891a).
Please cite as “FVM-87-08-26,” 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