Species Mauhlia linearis

For Johannis Mauhle, a Swedish promoter of natural science, who tried to save Linnaeus’s collection of natural history, his herbarium, letters and manuscripts from falling into foreign hands. When Linnaeus’s son, Carl Linnaeus the Younger, died in 1783, his wife, desperate for funds, offered the entire collection to Joseph Banks, who declined. Dr James Edward Smith (1759–1828), a British naturalist, took up the offer and bought the collection for 1 000 guineas. Mauhle, at that time in China on business for the Swedish East India Company, instructed a Dr Dahl, a pupil of Linnaeus, to put in a counter-offer of up to 2 000 guineas. Unfortunately for Sweden this failed as Dr Smith had first option, and by the time an appeal was made to the king to stop the transaction, it was too late and the collection had already been shipped out of the country. As to who this Mr Mauhle was, little is known.