7/10/94.
It was very considerate of you, dear Mr Burkill, to send me the list of names of the plants according to your examination of Baron Von Huegels polynesian collections,1 But very few of the plants are kept here, as in most cases no duplicates were available. Mr Walter collected as a Companion of Baron Huegel the plants and I send a memorandum just received from him.2 As collecting could by him only on the coasts,3 the collections consisted chiefly of littoral forms of wide distribution through Polynesia and also southern Asia, just as you found them.
But B. v. H. made after Mr Walter returned to Australia a long stay in Fiji, greatly supported by Governor Gordon, and he must have collected many rareties on the higher mountains when out on his ornithologic tours. So far as I remember of4 these plants came here, nor did I ask for any; but as I have not had leisure for many years to turn my attention much to the Polynesian vegetation I may have some of B.v. H. own Fiji collections too, but do not believe so. I will see, and let you know.
Tell me, whether I can do anything for the Cambridge bot. Garden or Herbarium or Museum specially from here. If so, it will be done, so far as it is possible for me, with the utmost pleasure.
With regardfulness your
Ferd von Mueller
Please cite as “FVM-94-10-07,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/94-10-07