ARID PORTIONS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 79 



Of other species found only in or along washes, Acacia varians, 

 "native willow," becomes a fairly large tree with drooping willow-like 

 habit (plate 15c). This species does not appear to be very common. 

 A. sentis and A. tetragonophylla are confined to bottoms by drainage 

 channels, or to such channels. The former is not abundant, but the 

 latter forms small thickets which are nearly impenetrable, hence the 

 local name "dead finish," not alone because of the abundance of the 

 individuals, but also because of the short and sharply pointed phyllodia 

 (plate 16, B and c). Casuarina lepidophloia occurs along bottoms con- 

 tiguous to washes not far from the one along which Acacia varians 

 was found. Senecio magnificus occurs only where the water relations 

 are relatively good, as in or along washes. 



Of other species confined to washes, or to their immediate vicinity, 

 Heterodendrum olecefolium, Myoporum platycarpum (plate 17s), and 

 Jasminum lineare, all small trees, may be mentioned. Although the 

 leaves of all are relatively large, those of the first named are the largest 

 and, as will appear below, possibly rank next to those of Eucalyptus 

 oleosa in size, indicative of an adjustment to relatively favorable water 



conditions. 



PARASITIC PHANEROGAMS. 



The flowering parasites constitute a very conspicuous portion of 

 flora of the Copley region. They represent two families, the Loran- 

 thacese and the Santalacese. Of the former, Loranthus exocarpi, L. 

 linearifolius, and L. quandang, and of the latter family, Fusanus acumi- 

 natus and F. spicatus were seen. The mistletoes are of very general 

 occurrence, but the sandal-woods occur much more sparsely. 



Loranthus exocarpi is the most commonly met of the mistletoes. It is 

 to be found on a relatively large number of hosts, among which were 

 seen Eremophila brownii (plate 17D), E. longifolia, Fusanus acuminatus, 

 Acacia sentis (plate 17c), Melaleuca glomerata, and Myoporum platy- 

 carpum (plate 18c). Loranthus linearifolius was found on Acacia 

 tetragonophylla (plate 18s), and L. quandang was seen on Acacia 

 aneura. Of these species, only L. exocarpi on Eremophila longifolia 

 and L. quandang on Acacia aneura (plate ISA), the "mulga," were seen 

 to be in harmful abundance. In the latter instance, especially, the 

 parasitic relation is said to terminate fatally for the host in every 

 instance and within two years or more following infection. A striking 

 peculiarity of the leaves of certain of the parasitic couples is the strong 

 superficial resemblance which they hold. 



The sandal-woods are small evergreen trees and occur rather spar- 

 ingly in the hill-slope habitat and apparently nowhere else. The 

 fewness in the number of individuals is in part attributable to demands 

 of various kinds which are made on them. They are a source of fuel 

 and also are attacked by animals which devour the young branches 

 and leaves. The fruits of one of them, the "native peach," F. acumi- 

 natus, are used as food to a certain extent by dwellers in the region. 



