[A number of sudden deaths amongst stock have recently occurred near Dandenong,1 and it was thought the animals had been poisoned by eating a plant known as the wild parsnip. The Chief Inspector of Stock, Mr. E. Carr,2 obtained some of the weed and had it analysed by the Government botanist, who reports that it is didiscus pelosus3 and is poisonous, the roots especially so. It rapidly kills stock, and can only be got rid of by pulling up.]
Didiscus pelosus
Vic.
i.e. Curr.
Typesetter's error for Didiscus pilosus?
Letter not found. The text given here is from Herald (Melbourne), 13 December 1887, p. 2. The report was reprinted in Warragul guardian, 16 December 1887, p. 3, while a slightly differently worded report appeared in ‘Agricultural notes', Leader, 17 December 1887, p. 9.
Please cite as “FVM-87-12-00j,” 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