To Joseph Hooker   21 January 1891

21/1/91.

On my return voyage to Melbourne from N. Z.,¹ dear Sir Joseph, I have the last opportunity quietly to write, and so like to say a little about my movements in those islands, where at almost every step the vegetation reminds of you! The universal regret has been, that you could not come personally at this scientific festival to the scenes of your earliest triumphs. — This year I could less easily take out a month of my time for absense from my Department, than could likely be done for twice or thrice that time in any other year. But the duties for getting the new Central Austr expedition² ready, which is to map for the first time portions of the two blanks, one as great, the other greater than Britain, call me greedily back, so that the party may be organized in time, for being at the outskirts of the settlements at the beginning of the cool season, these two tracts of country being in all likelihood extensively waterless. Sir Thomas Elder, from whom I had a London telegram last month,³ will also be back in a few weeks, so that I must not delay the fitting out of the new Expedition. It is an outcome of the Melbourne-meeting of the Austr. Assoc., just as most probably the N. Z. meeting will bring about the getting of the remaining means for Nordenskiold's contemplated antarctic enterprise, which should tend largely to increase subsequently the revenue of all the Australian colonies, but particularly that of N. Z.⁴ I spoke emphatically on the objects of these antarctic plans in the geographic Section, and must own, that my appeal met with an enthusiastic response, especially as Sir James Hector and Prof Kernot delivered also vigorous speeches on the subject,⁵ and as Mr Griffith, the President of the geographic Section, made antarctic concerns the main-subject of his inaugural adress.⁶ As the voyage from Port Phillip to NZ takes one week going and one week coming, and as the Assoc. meetings required one week more, I had only one week for tours, and devoted this to a journey into the vicinity of Mt Cook. This left me only one day for the glaciers,⁷ to be in time for the opening meeting at Christchurch. During that day I crossed the huge boulders of the Hooker-River, which are overlaying the glacier, and shifted gradually forward by the huge ice-masses, which press on them from the flank of the alps above. Vegetation however does not exist among these rock-fragments, as they are slowly moving and afford therefore no permanent footing to plants. The Hooker-River, where my companions and myself crossed it under the guidance of Mr Huddlestone is a mile wide and 2500 feet above sea-level; and the aspect of the alps, so close by, is magnificent beyond description. but on account of the vast extent of icy mountains in long chains the cold descending currents render at the Hooker-River the vegetation quite alpine, among other plants the glorious Ranunc. Lyalli being conspicuous. The plains and lower ranges towards the alps coming from the eastern side are absolutely treeless, and the two great lakes towards Mt Cook near the Hooker River⁸ are also devoid of any fringe vegetation.⁹ so that I will push your Eucalyptus Gunnii and E. urnigera into this region for embellishing the landscape and for affording fuel and timber. Many Pines should succeed also there, but it is too cold for Pinus insignis and Cupressus macrocarpa, the two quickest growing of Conifers.

Your Handbook¹⁰ has delt 25 years ago almost exhaustively already with the N. Z. flora, so that I saw no novelties, unless it is a Viola near V. filicaulis, but more stoloniferous and with a yellow tinge towards the base of the lowest and the lateral petals. It was to me however of high interest to notice the varied consociations of plants in N. Z. and to see those in a living state, which had I had not in cultivation, while at the bot. Garden.

The presense of Prof Goodall,¹¹ the President of the American Assoc. for Advancement of Science at the N. Z. meeting shed a particular lustre on it, he bringing a greeting across two oceans!¹² A more genial and generous man, so learned, and yet so modest, can not be imagined.

Sir James Hector intended, to take me with others through the North Island, of N. Z., but my duties call me back to my Department by the end of January.

Ever regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

It may interest you for the suppl. of the gen. plantarum¹³ that Baillon points out to me the affinity of Macgregoria to Floerkea and Limnanthes¹⁴

I have no Pachystoma (Apaturia) from Australia (Arnhem's Land)

Sir James Hector kindly offered to take me through the northern Island but I could not delay my return

Apaturia

Cupressus macrocarpa

E. urnigera

Eucalyptus Gunnii

Floerkea

Limnanthes

Macgregoria

Pachystoma

Pinus insignis

Ranunculus Lyalli

Viola filicaulis