rangulata), like a rich fern-soil, mixed with a good deal 
of fine black sand, and drive their straggling roots into 
crevices of rocks 20-30 feet down amongst the accumulated 
vegetable soil. Young plants have a very pretty appearance, 
resembling a Gynerium, but growing older, and periodically 
subjected to bush fires, all the leaves but the central are con- 
sumed, and an ugly charred and blackened stump with a tuft 
of leaves remains. 
About fifteen species of Xanthorrhea have been discovered, 
of which the X. Hastile of New South Wales (Tab. nost. 
4722), is the best known, from the uses of its long peduncles, 
which attain twenty feet in height, as spear-shafts, and for 
the rich red-brown astringent resin which forms between the 
densely compacted bases of the leaves, and which has been used 
as a substitute for gum-kino. It is often called the Black- 
boy, and a native boy with a tuft of grass on his head placed 
amongst a group of them, is, from a little distance, with diffi- 
culty distinguished from the surrounding trunks. Another 
species, X. pecoris, F. Muell., of West Australia, forms a staple 
fodder for cattle during a good part of the year. Several 
species are cultivated at Kew—viz., X. qguadrangulata, semi- 
plana, F. Muell., Hastile, Br. and minor, Br., with others not 
- in a sufficiently advanced condition for determination.— 
ue 
Fig. 1, Whole plant:—reduced in size ; 2, leaf:— of the natural size; 3, 
transverse section of leaf:—magnified ; 4, upper part of spike:—of the 
natural size; 5, flower and bracts; 6, bracts; 7, ovary; 38, fruit :-—all 
magnified. 
