16/1/921
Earlier than this, dear Dr Dyer, I intended to write to you, but I had to go to the Hobart-Meeting of the Australian2 Assoc. for Advancement of Science,3 to instal Sir [R] Hamilton, the Governor of Tasmania, as President of the meeting of 1892, as Sir James Hector was ill and thus could not come. I am now leaving for Adelaide, to have a personal consultation with Sir Thomas Elder in reference to the completion of the fund for Baron Nordenskiolds contemplated south-polar Expedition, so that an other season may not be lost in purchasing and fitting a ship.4 In the meanwhile I cannot proceed with bot. work to any appreciable extent, but the new part of the “Papuan plants” is getting into type.5 I will send New Guinea Duplicates during 1892.
I have just received Dr O. Kuntze’s extraordinar work.6 He starts from a false point! Our system of plants with dual names started only 1753 not 1735 or 1737.7 A species is only validified generically when it received its own name Therefore no genera can be adopted, until species therein become correctly elaborated. But we ought never to set aside a genus when as the first8 specifically brought out.9
Please, remember me kindly to Sir Joseph, and let me remain regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller
In studying the Papuan Tiliaceae I find, that Elaeocarpus Ganitrus occurs there, also in New Caledonia and East Australia, E. grandis being merely a variety.
Elaeocarpus Ganitrus
Elaeocarpus grandis
Tiliaceae
Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 22. Feb. 92
Annotations in pencil by Thiselton-Dyer: And 23.2.92 (letter not found); in ink by J. G. Baker: JGB 22/2/92; in ink by W. Hemsley:WBH; in pencil by J. Hooker: JDH 24/2/92; in pencil by B. Jackson: BDJ; and in pencil below M’s valediction : verte .
Please cite as “FVM-92-01-16a,” 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 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/92-01-16a