Christmas 1893.
In reply to your enquiry,1 dear Mr Deane, let me say, that Diuris tricolor I know only by name, as our late friend never distributed any dried specimens of his Orchids.2 Diuris abbreviata is fairly well described in the Fl. Austral. VI, 329. I chose that species-name in contrast to that of D. elongata, more recently passing a3 D. punctata, because the lower calyx-lobes (not really sepals) are proportionately short. It is not known to exist in Vict.
All through December I had much extrawork in my Office, including adjudication of a lot of examination papers in public Departments as an honorary duty.4 It was impossible, to give up time to the naming of the last plants from your NW.,5 but it will now soon be done. However nothing of importance was among the Specimens. Still good has been done by awakening the attention of Officers of yours for the Native flora. If all would only bring what they think quite uncommon
With best festive greeting your
Ferd von Mueller
Diuris abbreviata
Diuris elongata
Diuris punctata
Diuris tricolor
Letter not found.
Robert Fitzgerald; see a similar comment in M to H. Ridley, 28 August 1890 (in this edition as 90-08-28a).
as?
See M to O. Tepper, 12 November 1893, in which M writes that he would be serving as examiner for the Education Department and for the Melbourne Veterinary College. He was also examiner for the Ballarat School of Mines; see M to A. Berry, 17 December 1893.
See also M to H. Deane, 14 October 1893.
Please cite as “FVM-93-12-25a,” 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