20/11/95
Among the plants, kindly sent by you for the Field Naturalists floral Exhibition, dear Miss Henley, were also specimens of the Swainsona,1 of which I send you herewith a specimen back. It cannot be safely named as species, until the ripe fruit shall have been obtained. As the plant may not be rare near you, I would ask, whether you could send some fruiting specimens and also a lot of separate well ripened seedvessels with seeds, should this be easy for you.
On the afternoon, when I met your worthy parents2 I had an opportunity of speaking to the young Italian Prince3 and I met his Royal Highness also subsequently in the Governor's palace and an other conversation. His father was when he was born King Amadeus of Spain, and as such he honored me with the Commander-Order of Isabella of Spain.4 In acknowledgment I named a large Lake in honor of his Majesty.5 You will find it on any general map of Australia (Central region)
If you find more of your Cordyceps Henleyi6 kindly send the specimens
With regardful remembrance your
Ferd. von Mueller
You may see in your vicinity still other species of Cordyceps growing from dead insects, but they would likely smaller7 kinds. Indeed other rare fungs may be noticed by you there. If so, kindly secure some specimens of each uncommon sort and dry them before sending, and should the color fade, give a short note on the fresh color with each such species. You will in all instances get full credit for any discoveries of yours.
Do you require any particular seeds from here for your garden?8
Cordyceps Henleyi
Swainsona
The file contains one of M's museum labels, undated, marked by M: 'Swainsona Near the Ovens River 1895 Miss Henley'. A further label, likewise undated, is annotated by M: 'Where do you get your excellent dark ink?.
See M to J. Henley, 18 October 1895 (in this edition as 95-10-18a).
Luigi, Duke of the Abruzzi (1873-1933), who visited Melbourne in late 1895. His father, Amedeo, second son of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy and1st Duke of Aosta, was briefly King Amadeo I of Spain, 1870-3, but then abdicated.
See Amadeo I, King of Spain, to M, 8 March 1872.
Lake Amadeus, NT, named at M's request by Ernest Giles.
Cordyceps Henleyae? Described by Massee (1895), pp. 28-9, from a specimen collected by 'Miss M. Henley' and communicated by 'Sir Ferd. Mueller'.
'be' omitted?
You may see … garden is on a separate sheet. The reference to Cordyceps suggests it belongs to this letter.
Please cite as “FVM-95-11-20,” 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