From Alexander Hamilton   16 May 1889

Public School,

Mt. Kembla,¹

May 16th 1889

My Dear Baron Von Mueller,

Your letter² inquiring about a Cassinia (no 84) on your list, which you took to be C. Theodori, came to hand to-day.

In reply, I cannot say that I have ever had any reason to doubt its being an indigenous plant. It is common in most parts of the Mudgee District,³ and the habitat it appears to frequent is the upland flats on hillsides where it has a sour semi-marshy, or badly drained soil. The soil does not support good grass, but rushes grow plentifully, and a lichen almost carpets the surface. It grows thickly in such spots forming a scrub, and the plants reach in extreme cases 10 ft. in height, but the average is 6 ft. The stem is woody (Often 3 or 4 inches diametrical measurement) ⁴ and when cut the wood has greenish markings — the medullary [rays] I think it is that are so colored, but I speak from memory. The localities where it flourishes best are Cobbora⁵ 51 miles north of Mudgee, Goodaman near Guntawang Guntawang⁶ 16 miles N. of Mudgee, especially in that part of Guntawang known as Biraganbil, and Two Mile Flat near Guntawang. I have also collected it at Home Rule 9 miles east of Guntawang — on sour semi-drained granite flats. I am sorry to say that it is one of the plants whose flowering season I have not noted, doubtless from its common occurrence. I think that this is about all the information I have, and hope it will be of service. Many thanks for the Supplement to Census, and the reprint slip on Gompholobium,⁷ which enables me to add another plant to my list of Illawarra plants.

I remain

Yours very faithfully

Alex. G. Hamilton

Cassinia Theodori

Gompholobium