The dwarf plant of grass like appearance1 is in reality a rush, Schoenus apogan, restricted indigenously to South Eastern Australia and New Zealand. As such kinds of plants contain generally but little nourishment and are not readily digested, not much can be expected for pastoral purposes from this Schoenus. It has, however, very thin leaves, and will live in exposed coast regions, where it will be green all the year round, and may, small as the plant is, afford some auxiliary food on pastures.2
Schoonus apogan
The phrase "says Baron von Mueller' has been interpolated.
The item continues
In the Baron's work on Select Plants for Industrial Culture [current edition was B95.08.04], purchasable at the Government Printing Office, quite a number of plants of prominent pastural merit are mentioned, which could be naturalised also on coast runs, and would, with great advantage to rural interests, supersede the rush in question.
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Answers to correspondents’, Leader, 12 September 1896, p. 9 (B96.09.05). It is introduced by 'Name of Plant.— Booco, Bittern.—'.
Please cite as “FVM-96-09-00b,” 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