Hobart,
Dec 2nd /91.
Dear Baron,
Very many thanks for your assistance.1 Having no local herbarium one is more dependant on your kindness than would otherwise be the case.
The specimen of Veronica serpillifolia2 was found by Wm Fitzgerald on the west coast & was far enough from other aliens to lead him to infer it indigenous. I have since found it on Mt. Wellington3 more or less associated with what I have always taken to be V. perigrina4 I enclose a specimen. Am I correct.
The peculiar fruiting of the specimen of Polypodium Australe entirely misled me. The sori in the young fronds commence in two lines parallel to midrib & margin & the margin is somewhat contracted towards them.
I always look out for Lemnaceae & other water plants for you but have little opportunity & as yet have been very unsuccessful I enclose a water weed but I fear it is but an alga. It is from a stream near Langley. Also a dwarf rush somewhat near Juncus capillaceus but I cannot conclude it is that species. While I am about it I enclose two specimens of grass I take to be extreme varieties of Poa australis am I right. The foliage in both is similar inc[…]5 margins, setaceous.
I also enclose what I take to be Pomaderris racemosa. I am not aware it has been found in the southern part of the Island before Also a specimen of Melaleuca squamea with unusually large petals, leaves with indistinct veins that are often five in number.
Trusting I am not trespassing too much on your valuable time, believe me
Yours Faithfully
L Rodway
P.S. I notice Thismia is just coming above the ground. Shall I place some plants in spirit for your reference when you come over?6
L.R.
Juncus capillaceus
Lemnaceae
Melaleuca squamea
Poa australis
Polypodium Australe
Pomaderris racemosa
Thismia
Veronica perigrina
Veronica serpillifolia
Please cite as “FVM-91-12-02,” 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