144 Dll. FERD. MULLEll's BOTANICAL REPORT 



pines (Pandanus spiralis and P. aqtmticns) seemed to be quite 

 harmless, although 'it retained, even after boiling, some acidity. 



In addition to these, there remain to be mentioned, the " Mac- 

 kenzie Bean" {Canavallia Baueriand), the yam {Dioscorea), the 

 tubers of Aponogeton and Ouvirandra, which are of a most agree- 

 able taste, and the root of Typha. But the Tacca-tubers are 

 only useful in the preparation of starch. 



The plan of the expedition, according to which such an extensive 

 part of the country was to be explored within a limited period, 

 scarcely admitted of an inquiry into the qualities of the timber or 

 into the medicinal or economical properties of the plants we met 

 with, even in those cases where they were expected to exist. 



"With regard to the former, we regretted to observe in the 

 northern and north-western portion of the continent almost gene- 

 rally the want of that size and regularity of growth for which 

 many of the common trees are so much valued in the colonized 

 parts of Australia. Melaleuca Leucadendron (the Indian Cajuput 

 tree) forms the largest and straightest timber tree in the north. 

 Pines were, with the exception of a solitary Gallitris, nowhere ob- 

 served except towards the east coast, and Casuarinas are wanting 

 in the vicinity of the Victoria Biver ; whilst our only northern 

 species of this genus (O. equisetifolia) ^ a timber-tree of the South- 

 Sea Islands and of the coast tracts of India and Africa, was of 

 universal occurrence around the Grulf of Carpentaria and on the 

 east coast. The stately Casuarina Decaisneana we discovered in 

 the sandy desert of Central Australia. 



Of Eucalyptus occurred not less than 40 species. Two of these 

 retain a scrubby habit and belong exclusively to the inland deserts 

 Of the other species, the Elooded Gum-tree {E. rostrata, ScliL, 

 E. acuminata, Hook.), which is identical with the Yarra-tree of 

 Sir T. Mitchell, and with the red Grum-tree of the South Australian 

 colonists, was found to be universally distributed over the country. 

 Its timber is well known for its durability and being capable ol 

 receiving a beautiful polish. Many of the Grum-trees are in their 

 distribution limited by the dividing ranges, but that species named 

 by the colonists " Moreton Bay Ash," advances to the south-east 

 part of the Grulf of Carpentaria, whilst the so-called " Iron-bark 

 tree," when suddenly appearing with the fall of the eastern waters, 

 becomes at once a universal timber-tree. 



Mr. C. Moore, who demonstrated the utility and unusual variety 

 of the timber of East Australia so well in tlie Paris Exhibition, 

 informs us that it is not Oxleya xanthoxyla, which supplies the 



