C. of E. Grammar School, Geelong1
Nov. 5th 1894
Dear Sir F. v. Mueller
I have had the pleasure of once more hearing from Prof. Agardh, and am glad to learn that our last sending of Algs contained some interesting forms — To quote his ipsissima verba "Though the collection from you last season contains a less number of different species, there are several of much interest to me, as being in new states, and others perhaps forms of new species, which I am going to study more closely as soon as possible" — Amongst the plants considered to be entirely new are the following.
Hymenocladia ceratoclada.
Laurencia urnigera.2
Dasya comata3
Dasya struthiopenna
Chondriopsis deflexa4
Sphaeroclinium rhytidophlaeum5
Hymenocladia nitophylloides.6
Kallymenia palmatifida7
Hymenocladia lanceolata.
and some others not yet named
A Sphacelaria, Dictyota, 2 sp. and a Schizymenia —
I quite hoped to have extended my researches this next season beyond the Otway8 at Warrnambool & Port Fairy & perhaps Portland but greatly fear I shall have to abandon the project on account of the bad times which have greatly curtailed my means and made every expense a serious consideration.9
I enclose two scraps of plants from W. Australia which a lady gave my daughter while travelling. If you can identify them from such small pieces I should like to know their names — also the proper botanical appellation of the plant called in N.S.W. the Edelweis or flannel flower
Believe me
With very kind regards
Yours faithfully
J Bracebridge Wilson
Chondriopsis deflexa
Dasya comata
Dasya struthiopenna
Dictyota
Hymenocladia ceratoclada.
Hymenocladia lanceolata.
Hymenocladia nitophylloides
Kallymenia palmatifida
Laurencia urnigera.
Schizymenia
Sphacelaria
Sphaeroclinium rhytidophlaeum
MS bears the coat of arms of the Church of England Grammar School, Geelong, Vic.
No description by Agardh under this name has been found (AlgaeBase, accessed 19 May 2022). A misreading by Wilson for Laurencia uncinata?
This species was not formally published until 1998, having been 'a name used by J. Agardh on specimens from Western Port … but never published' (http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/efsa/Marine_Benthic_Flora_SA/Part_IIIC/Dasya_comata.shtml accessed 19 May 2022). MEL 1006688 is a specimen collected by Wilson, dated 17 January 1894.
Name not found (AlgaeBase, accessed 19 May 2022), but no search through the ca. 350 specimens collected by Wilson and now at MEL has been undertaken.
Name not found (AlgaeBase, accessed 19 May 2022).
Name not found (AlgaeBase, accessed 19 May 2022).
Name not found (AlgaeBase, accessed 19 May 2022).
i.e. Otway Ranges, usually referred to as 'the Otways'. All places named are in Vic.
i.e. the economic depression of the 1890s.
MS annotation by M: 'Answ 6/11/94'. Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-94-11-05,” 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