Wilson, Francis Robert Muter (1832 - 1903)

Concerning lichens, big early collections went from von Mueller to Gottsche, but the Rev. F. R. M. Wilson a Presbyterian minister stationed at Kew (Melbourne) for many years - must be regarded as our pioneer lichenologist, and probably the pan-Australian expert also. Between 1887 and 1900 he wrote no fewer than 20 authoritative articles for eight different journals, six of the earliest being devoted to Victoria (Vic. Nat., with descriptions of many new species). His last paper was on Kerguelen lichens for the French journal Mem. de l'Herbier Boissier, 1900.

"It is unfortunate for Melbourne lichenologists that the Rev. Mr. Wilson's considerable herbarium was purchased by the National Herbarium, Sydney".

Source: Willis, J.H. (1949) Botanical pioneers in Victoria-II. Victorian Naturalist 66:103-109

A Presbyterian minister, long in charge of the church at Kew, Melbourne.

He devoted his attention to lichens, and his herbarium, purchased by the New South Wales Government, is in the National Herbarium, Sydney.

In addition to Australian and New Hebrides lichens, he personally collected at Matlock, Derbyshire, England, in August, 1884.

Following is a list of his papers, for which I am indebted to Mr. E. Cheel:-
“Notes on a Few Victorian Lichens” (Vict. Nat., iv., 83, 1887);
“Descriptions of two New Lichens, and a List of Additional Lichens New to Victoria (ib., v., 19, 1888);
“An Hour on a Coral Island, by a Student of Lichenology” (ib., v., 141, 1888);
“A Hunt for Lichens in East Gippsland, Victoria” (ib., vi., 57, 1889);
“An Additional List of Lichens New to Victoria” (ib., vi., 60, 1889);
“A Description of Forty-one Victorian Lichens New to Science” (ib., vi., 61, 1889);
“An Additional List of Lichens New to Victoria” (ib., vi., 76 [sic; 77], 1889);
“Notes on Lichens in New South Wales” (Proc. Roy. Soc. Q., vi., 85, 1889);
“List of Lichens Found in New South Wales” (ib., vi., 89 1889);
“Notes on a Remarkable Growth in Connection with a New Species of Sticta, with Description of both” (ib., vii., 8, 1889);
“Lichens from the Victorian Alps” (Vict. Nat. vi., 178, 1890);
“Lichens from Western Australia” (ib., vi., 180, 1890);
“Australian Lichenology” (Trans. A.A.A.S., ii., 549, 1890);
“A List of Queensland Lichens New to Science” (Bailey’s Botany Bulletin, No. 7, 28, 1891);
“On Lichens Collected in Victoria, Australia” Journ. Linn. Soc. (Botany), xxviii., 353, 1891);
“The Climate of Eastern Tasmania as Indicated by its Lichen Flora” (Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasmania, 131, 1892);
“Tasmanian Lichens” (ib., 133, 1892);
“The Lichens of Victoria, Part. i. “(Proc. Roy Soc. Victoria, vol. v., 2nd Series, 141, 1892);
“On Mr. Robert Hall’s Collection of Lichens from Kerguelen Island” (Vict. Nat., xv., 41, 1898);
“Lichenes Kerguelenses a Roberto Hall, Anno 1898, Prope Royal Sound in Kerguelen insula lecti, et in Herbario Nationali, Melbourniensi, depositi” (Mem. de L’Herbier Boissier, No. 18, 87, 1900)

Source: Maiden, J.H. (1908). Records of Victorian Botanists. Victorian Naturalist 25:101-117 [the entry for F.R.M.Wilson is on p. 116]