From Richard Bastow to Ferdinand von Mueller   20 Feb 1893

329 Brunswick St1

Feb 20. 1892.2

Baron von Mueller, F.L.S. etc.

My Dear Sir

The packet of Pleurophascum came to hand on Saturday noon and many thanks for it.

I see some difference between the Zeehan and Bathurst3 specimens. The general aspect is the same, but the leaves of the latter are very much longer piliferous than the former, and very flexuous. The fruit appears also more robust and thicker in outer coat. I enclose sketch comparing them.4

I am Sir

Your obedient Servant

Richd A. Bastow.

Pleurophascum

Fitzroy, Melbourne.

The date on which M replied suggests that Bastow has written the wrong year-date and that this letter was written on 20 February 1893. This is confirmed by the dates and addresses on other letters Bastow wrote that are now in the library of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne; on 3 June 1892 his address was 182 Brunswick Street, while on 28 December 1892 he was at 329 Brunswick Street.

Both in Tas. M had evidently sought advice from Bastow on specimens collected by T. B. Moore from Zeehan on the west coast in 1892 and John Bufton from Bathurst Harbour in the far south-west in 1893. See MEL 1035613 and MEL 1035616 respectively.

Sketch of Pleuro-phascum grandiglobum enclosed with MS: 93-02-20_image01.jpg

diagram

MS annotation by M: 'Rec & answ 20/2/93'. Letter not found.

Please cite as “FVM-93-02-20,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/93-02-20