Melbourne, 31/3/96.
This day, dear Prof de Candolle, I received the large volume on Bromeliaceae, which you so generously forwarded to me.2 It is a superb volume of a splendid series! Mr Mez may prove a second Bentham and Boissier. He is in an exceptionally fortunate position to be rich, I believe, and therefore can devote to his favorite science all his time, his attention being in no way diverted by public duties, and as he is still young, he may — if his constitution is strong — do vast phytographic work far into the next century. This brings me to an idea, which long since I have formed, that the Universal Flora of the World ought descriptively remain under the sway of the Family of De Candolle! By the end of the century the vegetation of our planet will be almost completely known, as within the next four years the few remaining regions will become penetrated and thus also their main plant-wealth rendered known.
My views are, that at the commencement of the century a new "prodromus" (vegetationis totius mundi3) should be begun, much in the style of the earlier volumes of your illustrious grandfather. As numerous species become abolished as untenable the whole phanerogamic flora of our globe could be treated in 20 volumes briefly, and as most plants have now been carefully studied the condensation of their chief characteristics into short diagnoses should not be taking more time than 20 years for 20 volumes by 20 special authors, and as the volumes would not be illustrated, they would be not very expensive to print, and the sale would be most extensive all over the world, which could not be the case, when the first prodromus was published by Aug. Pyr. DC, Alph. D.C. and Casimir D.C Perhaps a son of yours can take part in the Editorship. What a splendid work this new "prodromus" (in true consonance to the name, would be. After 20 years or occasionally earlier could appear some supplemental volumes Tomus I ought to appear 1900.
Ever regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller
The third Census of Austral plants is ready for publication.4
I am meanwhile now pushing on descriptions of Papuan plants
Kindly give me your opinion on the proposition of a new prodromus.
The volumes must appear in the sequence of the orders of D.C. syst, except that Monochlamydeae be inserted among the Dichlamydeae, reserving only [Con]iferae and Cycadeae both certainly dicotyledonous
Bromeliaceae
Coniferae
Cycadeae
Dichlamydeae
Monochlamydeae
Please cite as “FVM-96-03-31,” 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 23 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/96-03-31