Müller, Ferdinand von (1825-1896)

German botanist who emigrated to Australia in 1847. He travelled extensively to study plant life and was director of the botanical gardens in Melbourne 1857-73. He exchanged plants with countries all over the world, and introduced the eucalyptus tree into different countries, especially Algeria; he also raised the Victoria water lily.

He was born in Rostock, Germany, and studied at Kiel University. In 1852 he was appointed chief botanist to the Australian colony of Victoria, and from 1855 to 1856 was botanist in the English-born explorer Augustus Gregory's expedition to northern and central Australia.

Müller wrote valuable works on the eucalyptus and Fragmenta phytographica Australiae (1862-81), also Flora Australiensis (with G Bentham, 1860-65) and The Plants Indigenous to the Colony of Victoria (1860).