MR. AV. AVOOLLS ON I5TB0DUCED PLANTS NEAR SYDNEY. 39 



m 



B. acetosella. 



Urtica xirens, 



U, dioica, 



SisyrincJiium micranth urn. 



S, 



ancejys 



Gyperus hydra, 



Poa annua, 



Hordeum marimtm, 



? Loimm temidentum. 



IIolcus lanatus, 



? Fanicum ciliatum. 



? Cynodon dactylon (indigenous). 



? Lappayo raccmosa (indigenous). 



In the preceding list, I have confined myself to the enumera- 

 tion of those plants Avhich have established themselves in cultivated 

 ground. Some fcAV of them, however, find their Avay into the 

 Avoods ; but the greater majority prefer gardens and fields. I 

 have seen Capsella hnrsa-pastoris and Sisymh^ium officinale grow- 

 ing in the back streets of Parramatta; but the rest of the intro- 

 duced CrncifersB sprung up amongst the AA-lieat, barley, and outs. 

 Cristaria coccinea is becoming a troublesome Aveed to the settlers, 

 and Sida rJiomhifolia is increasing rapidly ; but the latter is likely 

 to prove useful for its strong fibre. Polycarpon tetraphyllum and 

 Stellaria media are plentiful in gardens ; and, although supposed 

 to be indigenous, the latter difters very much in habit from the 

 same species when growing in shady creeks &c. Erodium mos- 

 chatv/m has certainly come here accidentally ; but probably the 

 strong-scented Pelaryonittm has escaped from a garden. It has 

 a wonderful tendency, however, to adapt itself to sandy soil near 

 the coast, and has spread very widely through the colony. For- 

 tulaca oleracea is indigenous in some parts of Australia; but as it 

 never appears here excepting in cultiA'ated places, I am inclined 

 to regard our variety as an importation. Tins AA^ecd is some- 

 times used as a A^egetable for eating, and cows are very fond of it. 

 Phytolacca octandra is abundant in the neiglibourliood of Sydney, 

 and seems likely to follow the raihvay into the interior. It is 

 sometimes employed for medicinal purposes ; and if any method 

 can be devised for fixing the colour, the juice of the berries Avill 

 become a valuable dye. The introduced Composites arc com- 

 paratively numerous, and some of them are exceedingly trouble- 

 some Aveeds, especially Erigeron canadense^ E, linifoUits, Cen- 



