322- NORTH AUSTRALIAN BOTANY. 



tainedj as I refrain from all general information on the results of the 

 Expedition, since Mr. Gregory's official reports will reach England si- 

 multaneously with this letter. I only state, and am proud to do so, 

 that I, with one of our best men, was selected to push, with the two 

 Messrs. Gregory, into Central Australia ; and I perform a pleasant 

 duty when I thankfully acknowledge, on this occasion, that Mr. Gre- 

 gory has not only given roe all the opportunities which the Expedition 

 afforded for promoting my objects, but gave rae also liberty to make 

 the best of my time during our stay on this camp, so that I was en- 

 abled to examine here the greater part of those plants which I had not 

 yet analyzed during the progress of our travels. Thus I have written 

 the diagnostics of more than 300 species and about 20 genera, either 

 new to the Flora of Australia or imperfectly known, and in most in- 

 stances the diagnosis is accompanied by a detailed description. You 

 will be surprised to see the accompanying article headed by Adansonia 

 Gregorii! The Gouty Stem-tree of AH. Cunningham and Captain 

 Stokes is a true Adansonia in every point ; and who deserves more to 

 have his name attached to the best plant disclosed by this Expedition 

 than our leader? to whose prudence, skill, and perseverance not only 

 the general and geographical results of the Expedition are due, but 

 also the success of the labours of all his followers. 



I am at present unable to give an accurate account of the real num- 

 ber of species collected; but I believe they do not exceed 800 species, 

 exclusive of what has been obtained on the eastern coast, — a number to 

 be considered scanty in the extreme, if we consider the actual extent 

 of the lines of our explorations, which fall scarcely short of 3000 miles. 

 The want of changes in the geological formation throughout the coun- 

 try which we traversed, may partially account for the paucity of plants ; 

 whilst, on the other hand, the whole tract is devoid of a mountainous 

 flora, since real mountains do not exist, and the highest point of the 

 dividing table-land, between the Yictoria River and Sturt's Creek, is, 

 according to Mr. Gregory's calculations, not elevated more than 1660 ! 

 We met, only on one locality, a small granite ridge, which yielded a few 



remarkable plants. 



Ervth 



The 



principal geological features are sandstone of the carboniferous series, 

 which forms the table-land, and basaltic plains and ridges ; nor is it 

 likely that the geological formation of the country will contribute to 

 the richness of its Flora until we leave the Gulf of Carpentaria, between 



