22/2/91.
Hardly ever in the 40 years of my departmental intercourse with Kew, dear Sir Joseph, have I encroached on your time for consultations about the systematic positions of any plants; but I would like now, to ask your kind opinion about a particular Rubiaceous plant, as you have elaborated the Rubiaceae not only for the genera pl. but also for the Fl. Indica.1 and thus you have an unrivalled knowledge of this ordinal group.2 Will you kindly look at the enclosed plant, which seems to me referable to Wendlandia, but it has the corolla-tube silky and (what is more striking) the stamens basal at the corolla. the anthers are as long as the whole Corolla-tube and narrow.3 I presume, it is Rubiaceous, but I have no specimens with ripe fruit. The development of stipules is neither very perfect or very fugacious. In so large an order as the Rubiaceae my experience must be scanty in Australia, where they are not largely represented; nor do I pretend to possess an intimate knowledge of the Malaian4 flora, such as you have gained by personal long explorations in S. Asia. Do not go to any trouble about this plant, but you may perhaps throw some light on its affinity at a glance.
Always regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
I have a new rhamnaceous and also a new anonaceousgenus from N.E. Australia and perhaps Prismatomeris and some few others new for this part of the globe.
Prismatomeris
Rubiaceae
Wendlandia
Please cite as “FVM-91-02-22,” 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 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/91-02-22