Luehmann, Johann Georg (1843–1904)

Born at Ostmoorende, Prussia (now Moorende, Jork, Germany) on 12 May 1843; emigrated to Victoria, Australia, arriving on the Ocean of the South on 8 August 1863; died in South Yarra, Melbourne on 18 November 1904.

Luehmann was an excellent botanist, who entirely effaced himself during the lifetime of Mueller, and after that botanist's death began the publication of' "Reliquae Muellerianae" in the first paper of which he modestly stated that he was but dealing with specimens that had been accumulated by his distinguished predecessor. The sentiment does honour to him, and is an illustration of his innate modesty but it is not generally known that for 30 years before Mueller's death he was the latter’s right-hand man, and his services in the building up and critical examination of the National Herbarium, Melbourne, were very great. It would be impossible to write the history of the herbarium without giving Luehmann very great credit. He knew every handwriting on the Iabels, and there died with him a vast amount of valuable information in regard to it, for he had great reluctance to put the results of his knowledge upon paper.

Following is a list of his publications (he published nothing during Mueller's lifetime):-
“Reliquiae Muellerianae: Descriptions of New Australian Plants in the Melbourne Herbarium”
—Acacia tysonii, Vict. Nat. 13(8): 111 (1896);
—Acacia cuthbertsonii and A. palustris, Vict. Nat. 13(9): 117 (1897);
—Eucalyptus torquata, Vict. Nat. 13(11): 147 (1897);
—Eucalyptus corrugata, Vict. Nat. 13(12): 168 (1897).
“Observations on Xerotes sororia F. v. Mueller”, Vict. Nat. 14(10): 147–148 (1898)
“Description of a new Australian labiate plant”, Vict. Nat. 15(2): 20 (1898) [Hemigenia macphersonii Luehm.]
“Some observations on Pre-Linnean botanists”, Vict. Nat. 15(5): 50–58 (1898)
“Description of a New Lobelia from Western Australia”, Vict. Nat. 17(9): 169 (1901) [Lobelia toppii Luehm. ?= L. gibbosa Labill.]
“A Short Dichotomous Key to the Hitherto Known Species of Eucalyptus”, Rep. Australas. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 7: 523–536 (1898)

The following species commemorate Luehmann:-
Acacia luehmannii F.Muell.
Bassia luehmannii F.Muell
Bryum luehmannianum Mull.Hal.
Casuarina luehmannii R.T.Baker
Darwinia luehmannii F.Muell. & Tate
Eucalyptus luehmanniana F.Muell.
Eugenia luehmannii F.Muell.
Leptospermum luehmannii F.M.Bailey
Phyllota luehmannii F.Muell.
Pultenaea luehmannii Maiden
Stipa luehmannii Reader

Major source: Maiden, J.H. (1908). Records of Victorian Botanists. Vict. Nat. 25(7): 101–117 [the entry for Luehmann is on pp. 110–111]
Other sources: Anon. (1904). The late J.G. Luehmann, F.L.S. Vict. Nat. 21(8): 108–109.
Eponymy and publications corrected and expanded via reference to the Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) database: http://www.anbg.gov.au/apni and to publications available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL): http://biodiversitylibrary.org
Familly history records of Victor Leeman (great-grandson of J.G.Luehmann), supplied via email August 2014.

Collecting localities for 'Luehmann, J.G.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 439 specimens