THE NORTH-AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 16? 



namely Cardamine debilis ; nor was any other found in tropical Austra- 

 lia, until, with many other southern plants, Nasturtium terrestre made, 

 on the east coast, its appearance. Plant aginece, Epacridece, Rosacea, 

 Ranunculacete, Tremandrecz, Juncece, Geraniacete, were likewise wanting, 

 and Composite, Proteacece, and Umbelliferce scarce, so that Leguminom 

 retained decidedly their former preponderance. m The genus Hemicar- 

 pus received a third species (H. glandulosus), well confirming the generic 

 character, and its next relative, Didiscus, a new procumbent species (D. 

 procumbens), at the eastern coast. Fine Prac/iy chiton-trees, with Pla- 

 tanus leaves, were here and there very conspicuous in the landscape ; 

 a few small Lichens w r ere for the first time noticed in fruit on rocks, 

 also Centunculus pentandrus, a Hydrocotyle, an erect Cynanchum, Styli- 

 dium Jloribundum, a new genus of Buettneriacece, allied to Thorn asia, 

 Kerandrenia anodonta, some prickly Solana, various Desmodia, a little 

 Calandrinia, several Loranthi, to one of which, L. bracteatus, already 

 Dr. Leichhardt alluded, as being singular for the very large, leafy- 

 bracts. 



Unfortunately we did not obtain on the Albert River the expected 

 additional supplies, otherwise, no doubt, Mr. Gregory would have 

 made another gallant dash inland, which, in all likelihood, would have 

 disclosed new desert-plants ; and thus baffled, we had now to proceed 

 direct to the east coast. On the Albert River Vitex trifolia was very 

 common, V. acuminata occurred likewise, also a white flowering Spha- 

 ranthus, and a yellow Ipomcea ; Potamogeton crispus and Myriophyllum 

 verticillatum grew in the brackish water abundantly. This river rises 

 near the coast, and its upper branches are running throughout the 

 year, whilst all other watercourses, with the exception of the Burdikin 

 Hiver, which we examined, are broken up into stagnant pools, or line, 

 deep reaches, and others formed only wide, sandy, dry beds, filled how- 

 ever, as the driftwood indicates, at certain wet years, with a vehement 

 stream. Many of the desert-shrubs approached to the " Plains of Pro- 

 mise," warning us of the aridity of the interior ; and indeed we had 

 much, difficulty now, at the dry season, to find a water-supply on our 

 route to the East. Our attempt of getting in a straight line across to 

 the Burdikin was, for want of water, frustrated, so that we were driven 

 into the Cape York peninsula, until we reached the sandy channel of a 

 river, perhaps the Gilbert of Dr. Leichhardt, which brought us at its 

 sources to the dividing range between the Lynd and Burdikin. I was 



