Sunday1
Now I have ascertained beyond doubt, dear Prof. Tate, that the Tribulus from the vicinity of Mt Sonder2 is T. astrocarpus. Had Mr Tietken's people gone to the slightest trouble about looking for the fruit, we here would have recognized the species at a glance. As it is, it took some time, because the plant in its flowering and leafy state approaches closely to T. bicolor.
It is with regret, that I cannot send you more information this day; but I have been much harrassed in the Department lately by a multitude of work, and feel not at all well; indeed I feel, as if I would like to lay down for a whole day in the bed! In this prostration I have even to prepare for as Patron my annual 1½ hours discourse at the litterary Association of the W. Melb. presbyt. Church on the evening after to morrow. I will however try, to settle the Eriocaulon, Polymeria, Helipterum (H. Fitzgibboni) in the course of this week carefully, before I commence any other phytographic work. I presume a few more days delay will make no great difference in the printing arrangements there.3
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller
Eriocaulon
Helipterum Fitzgibboni
Polymeria
Tribulus astrocarpus
Tribulus bicolor
Letter dated by reference to M to F. McCoy, 21 May 1890, in which M said he had been unable to attend the Parliamentary dinner the previous evening, i.e. Tuesday 20 May, because he had already been committed ‘to deliver my annual adress before the litterary Association of the W. Melb presbyterian Church’.
NT.
See B90.14.03, a version of which had been read to the Royal Society of South Australia on 1 April 1890; the published version lists the Tribulus and Helipterum species and also describes new species, pp. 107-9, but Eriocaulon graphititum is listed without description on pp. 95, 106.
MS black-edged; M's brother-in-law George Doughty died on 26 March 1890
Please cite as “FVM-90-05-18,” 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