352 ON THE FLORA OF MT. WILSON, 



Two species of Peperomia are extremely common in Tllawarra 

 on mossy rocks, but although I looked out specially for them in 

 the same situations I never came across either species. Only one 

 of the Crucifene is found. Flame-trees, Giant-nettles and Fig- 

 trees are wanting. Of course some of these plants may yet be 

 found as the locality is more closely examined. 



In the brush at the top of the Zigzag there are very large 

 numbers of that fine Labiate, Frostanthera lasianthos, of greater 

 dimensions, and more profusely flowering than any I have seen 

 elsewhere. 



The most striking feature of the mountain is the quantity and 

 vigorous growth of the ferns. They cover the ground, the rocks, 

 and even the tree trunks. The tree-ferns are especially plentiful 

 and well grown. In one creek I measured a Dicksoiiia 8 feet 6 

 inches in circumference of trunk and with fronds 16 feet in 

 length. Alsophila grows to a great height. In the denser parts 

 of the forest Hynwnophylhtm and Trichomanes are plentiful, and 

 in Waterfall Creek Todea Fraseri flourishes, its translucent fronds 

 sometimes reaching 6 feet in length. 



The epiphytal orchids are plentiful in the same places, and 

 every tree is covered with many species of mosses, hepatics, 

 lichens and fungi. There are some very fine black-wood trees 

 in some places, and the Eucalypts grow to an enormous girth and 

 height without branching. 



As an illustration of the general moistness of the air mention may 

 be made of the ready germination of various seeds on the stems of 

 the tree-ferns. In Mr. J. D. Cox's garden quite a number of seed- 

 lings of Cape heaths, which are cultivated close by, flourish on the 

 trunks. Quintinia Sieberi is common on them. It has been said 

 that this tree always begins life as a lodger on the fern-trees, but 

 this is not so, as I have often found seedlings and young trees 

 elsewhere. At Mitchell's Causeway, Mt. Victoria, a fine plant 

 may be seen springing from the joints of the masonry. A healthy 

 Eucalypt sa^iling is growing in a fern trunk in Mr. Cox's grounds. 

 I have also found Ilijdrocotyle^ Geranium dissectum, and several 

 species of grasses growing on them. 



