VEGETATION OF VICTORIA. 307 
opportunity, by ascending the most prominent heights, to increase con- 
siderably the series of plants already discovered in these localities by 
Sir Thomas Mitchell during his exploration of this country. Many of 
these plants belong not only exclusively to this Colony, although in- 
terspersed with such as inhabit the mountains of New South Wales, 
Van Diemen’s Land, and South Australia, but are even in some in- 
stances restricted to solitary heights, an observation confirmed by 
similar instances of isolation of certain species occurring at the Table 
Mount of the Cape of Good Hope, in the mountains of North America, 
and other parts of the globe. The subalpine summit of Mount Wil- 
liam proved in this respect to be exceedingly interesting. I was in- 
formed that these mountains contain malachite; and, judging from their 
similarity to the Mount Lofty and Barossa Ranges of South Australia, 
in which several copper mines have been opened, I feel convinced of 
the correctness of this statement. 
The early heat and the consequent scantiness of water during the 
last spring, rendered it impossible, in proceeding from the Grampians 
to the Murray, to pursue a more westerly course than along the Avoca ; 
but to obtain the advantage of observing the gradual change of the 
Mallee vegetation from south to north, I bore away westerly to Lake 
Lalbert, and thence reached the Murray in the beginning of December. 
Following partially the course of this river and partially the tracks 
through the desert, I travelled as far westerly as the junction of the 
Darling. During this excursion it was surprising to me to observe in 
the north-western parts of the Colony a remarkable accumulation, not 
only of those plants formerly observed along the Lower Murray, but 
also numerous species from the steppes around Lake Torrens, which I 
had but recently commenced disclosing to botanical science, and it ap- 
pears therefore that the subtropical Desert Flora terminates only in this 
latitude. Besides several hitherto unknown plants, descending along 
the Darling and Murrumbidgee from the north-east into our Colony, | 
others even reappeared here from the west coast of Australia, so that 
for these reasons the materials for the Flora of Victoria became at this 
time considerably augmented, more particularly in the Natural Orders 
of Composite and Salsolacee. The salt-plants here alluded to contri- 
d often preferable for 
bute largely to render these desolate places fit am pom 
sheep pastures. The following useful plants from these tgo 
entitled to particular notice :—Myoporum platycarpum, a graceful tree, 
