14/11/92
The plant N. 4 of your last collection, dear Mr Tyson, I have now carefully examined, and find it a new species of Prostanthera, which in honor of your self I have named P. Tysoni. It will be described in the December-number of the "Victorian Naturalist".1
I presume, you found it to be a very rare plant, probably among some rocks. What is the height of this Bush? is it strong scented?
Regardfully
your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Can you supply some more specimens? also seeds?
Your N. 5 is also a new plant a Bassia. The seeds on your two small transmitted specimens are not ripe. Could you oblige by sending some specimens with ripe seeds. They are concealed in the woolly cover.
47 Swainsona Kingii F.v.M
It was only from the Gascoyne-River2 before, and you have sent for the first time the fruit. What is the color of the fresh flowers?
Bassia
Prostanthera Tysoni
Swainsona Kingii
M did not describe P. tysoni in the Victorian naturalist or elsewhere. MEL 41916 carries Tyson's collection number '4', dated 1892, and is filed as P. tysoniana, a name given in 1992 when Eichlerago tysoniana, described in 1977, was recombined with Prostanthera. The sheet carries an annotation by M: 'Prostanthera Tysoni F.v.M Upper Murchison River 1892. Isaac Tyson'.
WA.
Please cite as “FVM-92-11-14a,” 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