The plant is the Kentrophyllum lanatum, a native of the countries around the Mediterranean seas. It is a weed, which will readily spread, but it is under ordinary circumstances an annual. If, therefore, it is pulled or cut when well advanced, but before it commences to form seeds the plant will become annihilated. But the cut or pulled plants must at once be heaped together and burnt, otherwise they may still ripen and shed their seeds.
Kentrophyllum lanatum
Letter not found. For the text given here, see Donald times (Vic), 16 December 1887, p. 2 (B87.12.03). The Thistle Inspector for the St Arnaud Shire Council submitted a specimen of a thistle-like plant to the Council and recommended that M's opinion on it be obtained. The Council instructed their Secretary to write to M, from whom the above reply was received.
Please cite as “FVM-87-12-00a,” 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