THE FLORA OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 71 
appears as a stately tree. Ferns and Orchidee belong rather to the 
deep shady valleys, which, in the places liable to be overflowed, are 
filled with Leptospermum. The Ferns embrace the more tropical 
genera, Adiantum, Gleichenia, Gymnogramme, Lindsea, Cheilanthus, 
and Lomaria, and likewise approach the common forms in Osmunda, 
Asplenium, Botrychium, Ophioglossum, and Pteris. But the observer 
will in vain search for a rich harvest of Mosses and Lichens, and with 
some degree of perplexity inquire after the reason of their paucity in 
species, where nevertheless all the requisite conditions for their simple 
vital processes are afforded in such a high degree. 
The majority of the water and shore plants of these valleys, as well 
as those of the brackish lagunes and canals, are, as already pointed 
out, common to several parts of the world; or (if we except Ocymum, 
Clidanthera, Grasses formed after an Indian type, Callistemon arbo- 
rescens, entangled bushes of the evanescent-leaved Polygonum junceum, 
Schachtia, and other shore plants of the Murray), deviate so little from 
the usual character that they are incapable of fixing our attention to 
this place; and in like manner it happens, with reference in many 
respects to the flora of the mountain pastures and of the fertile low- 
lands, if we overlook the smooth-barked Zucalypti (E. robusta, E. 
leucoxylon, E. patentiflora), we find ourselves surrounded by forms 
so characteristic of Fatherland as Ranunculi, Cardamine, Willow- 
herbs, Geranium, Galium, Scorzoneras, Gnaphaliums, Picris, Cynoglos- 
sum, Chanterelle, Campanulas, Eye-bright, Willows, Ajuga, Plantains, 
Docks, Mint and Germander, Knot-grass (Polygonums), Rushes, Darnel, 
Poas, etc. 
The original features of the flora become every year less and less 
discernible, since the large-flowered species of Sundew, the native 
Wood-sorrel, the Zilleas, Acena, Lotus, Swainsonia, the deep-red Ken- 
nedya, Sebea, the delicate daisy-like Brachycome, Craspedia, Cymbo- 
notus, Pimeleas, Psoralea, Bulbine, the lovely 4nguillarias, Cesias, 
Caladenias, Thelymitra, and spotted species of Diuris, disappear more 
and more, and the pretty groups of gum-dropping Acacias (4. reti- 
noides, A. pycnantha) vanish for ever, either, with Evocarpus cupressi- 
formis and Acacia Melanoaylon, before the ploughshare, or because their 
astringent barks find employment in commerce. 26 
How powerfully the transforming influence of the imported vegeta- 
tion acts upon the original flora may be readily observed in the neigh- — 
