18/6/94.1
What a “quid pro quo” dear Dr Dyer with the Eurycles!2 I must write again to the Magistrate of Thursday Island,3 begging for further searches after the rare Eurycles alba, as I called it in the “Census”4 on accord of its broad leaves, altho I am well aware the leaves would not suffice as reason for the generic transfer, because Allium ursinum which I collected fully 50 years ago in the Dukedom of Schleswig has also broad leaves in that genus.
Without wishing to be intrusive, may I suggest that the Calostemma album be figured in your “icones plantarum”? So perhaps also the apparently extremely rare Xanthorrhoea Pumilio. Neither of the two I have ever seen.5
Best thanks for sending the finishing part of the 6th vol. of the Flora of British India.6 I thanked Sir Joseph also7 The Cyperaceae were “my first love”. Mr Clarke treated them thoroughly for India;8 and that must have involved very trying exertions through a long time.
With continued friendship
your
Ferd von Mueller.
Allium ursinum
Calostemma album
Cyperaceae
Eurycles alba
Xanthorrhoea pumilio
There is red pencil line against this paragraph.
Calostemma album was illustrated ‘at the suggestion of Sir F. v Mueller’ in Oliver (1891-5), vol. 24, plate 2371, using the specimen collected by Robert Brown. Xanthorrhoea pumilio was not illustrated.
Please cite as “FVM-94-06-18a,” 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 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/94-06-18a